Cabinet approves prisoner swap deal

[Scurrilous]

Officials say prisoner exchange with Hizbullah likely to go through within two weeks. Cabinet votes in favor of swap despite defense officials' warning it will only encourage more kidnappings in future. Earlier, Prime Minister Olmert tells ministers captives are 'probably dead'

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3561528,00.html

<snip>

"The cabinet approved Sunday the prisoner exchange deal with Hizbullah, which will facilitate the return of IDF captives Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. The motion was carried with a majority of 22 ministers.

Diplomatic officials estimated later in the evening that the swap will likely take place in two week's time, even as early as 10 days from the vote. A date will be set after the German mediator receives the report on missing navigator Ron Arad.

The initial stage of the deal will entail an exchange of information, the second phase will include the actual prisoner exchange. The two stages will be separated by mere days but the third part of the deal, the release of the Palestinian prisoners, will take place a full month after the exchange and following an additional cabinet meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert urged his ministers to vote in favor of the deal. "At the end of a long process, I have reached the conclusion that as the Israeli prime minister I must recommend that you approve the proposal which will bring this painful affair to an end – even at the painful price it requires us to pay," Olmert said during Sunday's cabinet meeting.

Olmert said during the discussion that as far as Israel knows, the kidnapped soldiers are no longer alive, and are believed to have been killed during the abduction or died of their wounds shortly afterwards."

[henank]

1. If the soldiers are dead

what is the point of swapping a live terrorist for dead bodies?

Meanwhile families of missing Iranian Jews petition High Court:

The families of the 12 missing Iranian Jews petitioned the High Court of Justice, demanding that Israel won't reveal information about the four Iranian diplomats who disappeared in Beirut during the Lebanon War – as part of the prisoner exchange deal with Hizbullah.

The petitioners asked for reciprocity – information about the four diplomats in return for information about the 12 missing Iranian Jews. They are also asking that the State keep its prior commitment to the High Court to continue working and making every possible attempt to obtain information about the missing Iranian Jews.

[notfullofit]

4. Olmert is selling out. nt

[Vegasaurus]

2. I think this was an amazingly stupid move by Israel

What a way to embolden terrorist groups.

Hamas and Hezbollah get back their terrorists in return for dead Israelis (that they have killed).

This will only encourage more terrorism (not that they needed any encouragement).

[Scurrilous]

3. Report: Israel-Hezbollah swap set to begin Thurs.

<snip>

"The first phase of a prisoner swap between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group will begin as early as Thursday, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported on Sunday.

There was no official confirmation of the report from any other source.

The exchange is to occur over three phases, the first of which will include the release of Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar and three other prisoners, according to the Ma'an report.

According to the report, the second phase will begin six days later and the third a few days after that. The report does not detail under which phase Hezbollah will release captured Israeli reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

Earlier, Haaretz learned that Israel has informed Hezbollah it will require ten days to complete the prisoner exchange from the time the agreement is signed. The swap was expected to begin on or around July 20."

more

[Scurrilous]

5. Israel moves Hezbollah prisoners ahead of swap

<snip>

"Israel prepared on Monday for a prisoner swap with Hezbollah by moving four Lebanese guerrillas in its custody to a holding facility ahead of Wednesday's U.N.-mediated exchange.

Maher Qorani, Mohammad Srour, Hussein Suleiman and Khodr Zeidan were transferred from Ashmoret prison, near the coastal city of Netanya, where they have been held since their capture in the 2006 Lebanon war, to Hadarim jail some 11 kilometres (7 miles) away, a Prisons Services spokesman said.

There, they joined Samir Qantar, a Hadarim inmate who is also slated for release on Wednesday. Qantar, the most high-profile Lebanese prisoner in Israel, was jailed for life for killing a policeman, another man and his 4-year-old daughter in a raid in the northern Israeli town of Nahariya in 1979.

In return for releasing the five men, Israel will get back two of its soldiers, captured in a cross-border Hezbollah raid that triggered the 34-day war with the Iranian-backed group two years ago.

Hezbollah has given no word on the condition of the soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, although Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said they are probably dead."

more

[Vegasaurus]

6. STUPID STUPID STUPID

one of the dumber moves by Israel.

[Scurrilous]

7. Hezbollah prisoner swap under way

<snip>

"Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have begun a prisoner exchange at the Naqura border crossing, with the bodies of two Israeli soldiers being delivered to the Red Cross.

The process got under way on Wednesday, with Hezbollah handing over what it said were the remains of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, two Israeli army reservists captured by the Shia group in 2006.

There had been speculation that at least one of the Israeli soldiers had been alive, but Hezbollah TV confirmed that both were dead.

Two coffins containing the bodies were taken in Red Cross vehicles across the border from Lebanon into Israel to be identified.

In return, the bodies of almost 200 people were received by Hezbollah, including the body of Dalal al-Maghrebi, a female fighter with the Palestinian Fatah movement."

more