OCCUPIED JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, 10 November 2003 — After almost eight hours of heated debate, the Israeli Cabinet gave the go-ahead yesterday for an emerging prisoner swap deal with the Lebanese Hezbollah organization.
The deal passed only narrowly, with 12 ministers voting in favor and 11 against, Israel Radio reported. Premier Ariel Sharon earlier urged his Cabinet to support the exchange, saying it was in the power of the ministers to save the life of an Israeli citizen “or let him die in captivity”.
In Beirut, the Hezbollah said it was waiting for the German mediators to inform them officially of the Israeli decision. A mediator would meet with Hezbollah official in Beirut later.
Unconfirmed sources in Beirut are saying that the swap might not include longest-held Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar. His brother Bassam told Deutsche Presse-Agentur shortly after the Israeli decision was announced that “without Samir, there will no swap”.
The deal is controversial in Israel because it is said to include Israeli businessman and army reserve Col. Elhanan Tennenbaum and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped in October 2000, but not Israeli Air force navigator Ron Arad, missing since his aircraft was shot down over Lebanon in 1986.
