Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., July 08, 2008 Tamuz 5, 5768 | | Israel Time: 12:32 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Missing IAF navigator Ron Arad, who was captured after his plane went down over Lebanon in 1986. (Archives) Last update - 09:20 08/07/2008 ANALYSIS / Ron Arad info crucial in advancing Hezbollah deal By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Lebanon, Israel, Ron Arad  "The humanitarian agreement," is the title of the document, numbering a few pages and containing dozens of clauses, that summarizes all of the understandings in connection with the prisoner exchange deal. The document does not mention in its title the two sides - the Israeli government and Hezbollah - or Gerhard Konrad, the BND German intelligence agency official appointed by the United Nations to broker the deal and who helped formulate the piece. The deal was signed on Sunday by Ofer Dekel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's envoy for negotiations on missing and abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers. At the same time, the document was signed by one of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's two aides who are involved in the negotiations and work alongside Dekel. Each side sent the signed document to the other via Konrad. Advertisement By doing so, official approval was in effect given, and the prisoner exchange process was begun, which is planned to be completed within some ten days, and it is highly unlikely - as opposed to reports published here and there - that it will be halted. The signing of the document is the first of four stages in the swap process, upon which both sides agreed to in dozens of meetings, exchanges of messages and position papers that took place in Tel Aviv, Beirut and European capitals. The second stage is especially sensitive. The Lebanese guerilla group needs to transfer to Israel an account detailing its efforts to ascertain the fate of missing Israel Air Force navigator Ron Arad, who was captured after his plane crashed in Lebanon in 1986 - traces of whom disappeared roughly a year and a half afterwards. In parallel, Israel has to hand over a report on what happened to three Iranian diplomats and one Iranian journalist who were arrested in 1982 during the first Lebanon War at a checkpoint by Israel's allies, the Phalangist Christians. The reports need to be written according to guidelines agreed upon by both sides. They also need to be detailed, well-reasoned and accompanied by affidavits of witnesses, and include pictures, audio and video tapes if there are such in existence. Konrad has not seen the reports. He only received from both sides last week updates on their content and on their main points. He relayed in his meeting on Thursday with Dekel, on the basis of what he had seen and heard, that Hezbollah has reached the conclusion Ron Arad is no longer alive. This has already been heard in Israel from the previous German mediator and current BND head, Ernst Uhrlau, in the 2004 prisoner exchange for Elhanan Tannenbaum. As part of that deal, it was determined that Hezbollah would give Israel "scientific proof" of what happened to Arad. In return for this information, Israel was to release Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar, who was initially on the list of prisoners set to be released in the Tannenbaum deal but was later withdrawn from it by Israel. Now, Israel is requesting via Konrad, and according to the agreed-upon guidelines, a detailed explanation that will satisfy it as to why Hezbollah cannot supply the "scientific proof," or in other words - why the organization does not have Arad's body. This information is important because it will help bring this painful affair to an end. Only solid information will enable the IDF Chief Rabbi to change Arad's official status from "missing" to that of a soldier whose place of death is unknown. Konrad himself is an expert in the Arad affair since in the past he served as the BND's representative in Damascus, and worked alongside Uhrlau in the negotiations in the Tannenbaum exchange. Conrad holds much information on the Arad affair and together with Dekel he formulated the questions which Israel has asked in order to receive clarifications and clarification on what Hezbollah has relayed so far. That said, Israeli intelligence sources are reportedly convinced that Arad is no longer alive. They have also ruled that Hezbollah and Iran have a vested interest in supplying information on Arad's whereabouts, which they could potentially use as a bargaining chip in any future deal with Israel. For example, Hezbollah could demand the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails while Iran could demand Israel turn over billions of dollars owed to Iran from business arrangements carried out between the Israeli and Iranian governments during the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - namely the Trans-Asiatic company's shipments of oil from Iran to Eilat. The fact that neither Hezbollah nor Iran have turned over information on Iran has led many to the conclusion that they either do not know Arad's whereabouts, or that they are trying to cover up some sort of information, such as that the Israeli navigator died while in their hands. After the reports are handed over, the government will hold a meeting Sunday in order to examine their contents. The government could postpone the exchange if the reports are not to their liking, but such a move is highly unlikely, given the sweeping majority with which the cabinet approved the deal in principle 10 days ago. At the meeting, the government is also expected to decide on the number and names of Palestinians to be freed. According to the agreement with Hezbollah, the decision can only be made by the Israeli government. After the meeting, the third and decisive part of the deal - the exchange of prisoners - will take place. If the deal goes through, the exchange will take place at the Rosh Hanikra crossing on the border of Israel and Lebanon, with the assistance of the Red Cross. Israel will receive Goldwasswer and Regev, who are widely presumed to be dead. Israel is to return five living prisoners, Samir Kuntar and four other Hezbollah fighters, as well as eight bodies of Hezbollah guerillas, and will also be required to turn over some 180 bodies of Lebanese and Palestinian militants who died in south Lebanon in clashes since 1982 with IDF forces. The fourth and last stage will be the release of between 10 and 20 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to the Palestinian people. Related articles: Hezbollah expected to report Arad died in Lebanon over a decade ago Israel, Hezbollah clear way for prisoner swap within ten days Despite Hezbollah report, the Ron Arad story is not over Bookmark to del.icio.us   Prisoner exchange Israel signs swap deal, begins exhuming bodies of Hezbollah guerillas. Provocative questions Gaydamak tells TAU student to 'shut up and go to hell' over Angola question.   1.   EXCLUSIVE: Ron Arad/Hezbollah Update 00:52  |  Robert 08/07/08   2.   Brain scan in order? 02:39  |  Mark Lincoln 08/07/08   3.   Because, Mark . . . 03:59  |  Steve 08/07/08   4.   Why it is important 05:08  |  John 08/07/08   5.   painful SCAM to an end 07:33  |  Fred 08/07/08   6.   #2, Mark Lincoln 08:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/07/08   7.   Get over it 12:10  |  Natallie Durson 08/07/08

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