Israel's Release of Murderer For Dead Soldiers Raises Questions

Today it became official:

Israel’s government voted on Sunday to trade one of the most notorious convicts in its prisons, a Lebanese murderer, for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers whose cross-border capture led to and partly motivated its month-long war with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah in the summer of 2006.

After a wrenching national debate which served to drive hesitant officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, into accepting the deal, the cabinet voted 22 to 3 to trade the prisoner, Samir Kuntar, along with four other Lebanese, for Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the two Israeli soldiers.

“Despite all hesitations, after weighing the pros and the cons, I support the agreement,” Mr. Olmert was quoted by his spokesman as telling his cabinet at the start of the meeting. “Our initial theory was that the soldiers were alive ... Now we know with certainty there is no chance that that is the case.” He added, “There will be much sadness in Israel, much humiliation considering the celebrations that will be held on the other side.”

Sure enough, Hizbollah is already bragging how the exchange shows how strong they really are. After all, the original goal of the 'kidnapping' was to gain the freedom of Kuntar:

Mr. Kuntar was part of a cell that in 1979 raided the northern Israeli town of Nahariya, shooting dead Danny Haran while his daughter Einat, 4, watched, then smashing the girl’s head, killing her as well. Mr. Haran’s wife, Smadar, hid with their 2-year-old daughter and accidentally suffocated her to death in an effort to stop her from crying out.

The exchange of Kuntar for the dead soldiers has raised questions about Israel's longstanding policy of doing whatever it takes to achieve the return of captured soldiers--even if their dead bodies. It it worth releasing such a murderer as Kuntar in order to know for sure the fate of the soldiers? The parents say yes--others are not so sure.

Earlier this month, a number of IDF reservists wrote a letter to the chief of staff that in the event they are captured, they do not want the government to release terrorists in order to get them returned.

Emanuele Ottolenghi has questions too.

When did the government know that the two soldiers were in all likelihood dead? Was it immediately after Hezbollah’s incursion into Israeli territory, on July 12, 2006? If so, the government launched a military campaign of 33 days, that cost the lives of over 130 Israelis, in order to rescue the dead bodies of two. Some explaining is in order, if that is the case.

And if the government did not know right away...

Did the government find out aout their fate after the war was over? If so, how long ago? According to Ehud’s father, “There have been assessments for a long time,” “But none of this matters because it is not fact . . . They were alive when they were kidnapped and no one has provided us with evidence to the contrary.” The government now seems to think that this is not so, but has not provided the evidence.

Why now? If the evidence is conclusive, should the families not know for sure? Shouldn’t the nation as well, given the price exacted in return? And should it not be the case that Israel should demand more, not less, of Hezbollah, now that its captives are dead? [emphasis added]

Under the circumstances, there is a noticiable lack of consideration, considering how this exchange is supposedly being done for the benefit of the Goldwasser and Regev families.

After all, Israel’s government has decided to return a monster like Kuntar, who killed an infant girl and her four-year-old sister in a brutal act of sadism after having slaughtered their father. At a minimum, Israel’s government should have told Israelis why two dead soldiers (for whose sake more than a hundred died) are now being exchanged for this criminal.

It is supposed to take up to 2 weeks to carry out this agreement with Hizbollah. Before it is finalized, Israelis should insist on clarification on just what Olmert thinks he is doing and why.

Is it a coincidence that this exchange is taking place now, at the same time that Olmert is attempting peace negotiations with Lebanon?

Technorati Tag: Israel and Samir Kuntar.