Missing Israeli pilot confirmed dead by Hizbullah, prisoner exchange close

Date: 30 / 06 / 2008  Time:  21:30
Bethlehem – Ma'an -

The Lebanese Islamic Resistance Movement, Hizbullah, informed the Israeli occupation government  through the United Nations on Monday that the Israeli airforce pilot Ron Arad who has been missing in Lebanon since 1986 is dead.

The Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz reported that the United Nations mediator Gerhard Konrad handed Israel a report from Hizbullah confirming Arad's death.

According to a Hizbullah, Arad ejected from his plane in 1986 and was taken captive by the Amal resistance organization. According to Ha'aretz, Konrad has seen the outline of the report and said his impression was that Hizbullah leaders were aiming to show they had made a serious effort to find out what happened to Arad.

The report is said to contain details made by Hizbullah to ascertain Arad's fate. However, Israel also wants to know how Hizbullah concluded that Arad was dead while the location of his remains is still not known.

Meanwhile, the prisoner swap between Israel and Hizbullah is expected to take place within the next two weeks. Under the agreement Hizbullah will hand over two Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, who were captured by Israeli fighters and have been held by Hizbullah for almost a year. It is still uncertain as to whether they are still alive.

In return Israel will release Lebanese detainee Samir Al-Quntar and four Hizbullah fighters and will hand Hizbollah the bodies of dozens of fighters who infiltrated into Israel, including eight Hizbullah members.

Secretary General of the Israeli Cabinet Hovida Yehezkel has confirmed that the exchange prisoners' deal with Hizbullah could take place within two weeks if Israel considers the information Hizbullah provided about Arad is sufficient.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stressed in the Kadima bloc meeting on Monday afternoon that following the approval of the exchange deal with Hizbullah there will be negotiations to secure the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.

"These negotiations will take a long time and will require making difficult decisions", Olmert said.

He added that he discussed this issue last week with Egyptian intelligence director Omar Suleiman and that a deal to exchange prisoners is becoming clearer.

Olmert explained that he decided to support the exchange deal with Hizbullah despite criticism as he wants Regev and Goldwasser to return home to their families.

"It was clear to me that if we didn't approve the deal, the result would be that we would lose touch with them for many years and we would not be able to bring the soldiers to Israel for burial," Olmert said.

The Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak told the Kadima meeting that it is the government's moral duty to return the captured Israeli soldiers to their families, whether they are alive or dead.

He pointed out that the current Israeli and Palestinian in the Gaza Strip truce atmosphere will allow for intensive negotiations on the issue of Gilad Shalit.

Hamas: IOG acceptance of Hizbullah swap deal victory to qualitative balance

[ 30/06/2008 - 09:03 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Hamas Movement has underlined that the Israeli occupation gvernment's (IOG) approval of the prisoners' swap deal with the Lebanese Islamic Resistance Movement, Hizbullah, was a victory for the "qualitative balance of power" imposed by the Lebanese resistance.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a press release on Sunday that the deal was also an "accomplishment" for the Lebanese resistance's steadfastness and determination.

It further indicates that rights should be grabbed rather than begged for especially when they are usurped by occupation, he elaborated.

Barhoum said that the IOA should understand the lesson and should know that arrogance and oppression would not do it any good in face of determination and perseverance.

This lesson should serve as a lesson to the IOA to quicken responding to Palestinian resistance's conditions for the release of Gilad Shalit, the captured Israeli soldier, and expedite the prisoners' exchange deal instead of manipulation and deception, the spokesman said.

PRC: Prisoners deal between Israel and Hizbullah paves the way to release of long-term Palestinian prisoners

Date: 30 / 06 / 2008  Time:  16:22
Gaza – Ma'an –

The spokesperson of the Popular Resistance Committees, Abu Mujahid, said on Monday that, "The prisoners swap deal between Hizbullah and the Israeli government was another victory of resistance which will lead to achievement of nationalist goals."

Abu Mujahid, who often speaks on behalf of the Palestinian armed groups that have held Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit since 2006, told Ma'an, "The true promise which the Lebanese resistance gave to families of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails triumphed, and the heroes in jails will soon see lights of freedom after long suffering."

The Israeli cabinet agreed to release five Lebanese prisoners and several dozen Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers captured by Hizbullah. The abduction of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser in July 2006 sparked the 34-day Israel Lebanon war.

Abu Mujahid applauded Hizbullah and its leader Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah for including Palestinian prisoners in their deal with Israel.

As for Gilad Shalit's captors, Abu Mujahid explained that their demands are remain the same, and that Shalit will not be released unless Israel releases all Palestinian prisoners included in a list which the captors submitted previously. He emphasized that priority should be given to long-term prisoners, women and child prisoners.

"The occupation's submission to the Lebanese resistance's demands and acceptance to release Samir Quntar pave the way to releasing long-term Palestinian prisoners within an honorable deal," Abu Mujahid concluded.

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