Israeli defense minister talks on kidnapping Nasrullah for information of missed pilot Arad
Lebanon-Palestine, Politics, 11/11/2003

Israel's defense minister Shaoul Mofaz talked about the possibility of kidnapping Hizbullah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah, in order to get information about the missing Israeli pilot Ron Arad whose plane was downed in October 1986 in south Lebanon, whose name is not listed among those who will be exchanged among prisoners of the two sides.

The Israeli radio quoted Mofaz as saying that he had proposed in a meeting for the Cabinet when he was a chief of staff for the army to kidnap of Nasrullah but the political officials then opposed that. Mofaz explained that this option has become discussed once again and that "new means will be used to get information concerning Arad."

The idea of kidnapping was also supported by the former director of the Israeli intelligence ( Mossad) and the current representative for the Labor Party Dani Yatoum saying that Nasrullah is one of the few persons who have information about Arad.

However, the Israeli lawyer Tivey Reich, responsible for the Lebanese detainees in Israel denounced any plan for kidnapping. He said that Israel will not be able to get information concerning Arad by these means, noting that kidnapping Nasrullah will lead to kidnapping more Israelis.

The Israeli government gave the agreement green-light to its envoy Eilan Beiran to formulate the final touches for the agreement with Hizbullah through a German mediator.

The agreement includes a reserve Israeli army officer and three bodies of Israeli soldiers but does not include the Israeli pilot Ron Arad.

On the other side, Israel will release 400 Arab prisoners with the majority of them Lebanese and Palestinians and among them two key leaders of the Lebanese resistance Sheikh Mustafa al- Deirani and Abdul Karim Obeid.

The list of prisoners to be released includes scores of fighters from Syria, Morocco, Sudan and Libya who took part in attacks against the Israeli occupation forces in south Lebanon over 22 years before its liberation. Israel will hand over the remains of scores of martyrs of the Lebanese resistance in south Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Withdrawing the draft bill of Palestinians ' right to ownership in Lebanon   (10/14/2003)
  Lahoud refuses freeze of bank accounts for Hamas   (9/27/2003)
  Lahoud stresses Palestinians rights to return   (8/19/2003)

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