Hezbullah has refused point-blank to offer any details over the health of the kidnapped soldiers. It seems they have good reason: They may very well be dead.
During the war in Lebanon this summer, the army had prepared a report about the kidnapping on Israel’s border. Sources said that according to the report, Regev and Goldwasser were severely wounded in the course of the kidnapping, and were in a state that warranted immediate medical attention.
The report’s findings were brought to the attention of the captives’ family. Shlomo Goldwasser, Ehud’s father, told the PM that if it turns out that the sons had been killed, there was no point in negotiating over the return of their bodies.
“Israel should not pay for receiving the bodies,” Goldwasser said. “If the sons aren’t alive, there shouldn’t be any deal at all.”
Ehud Olmert has said recently that Israel will not pay an “excessive price” for the two soldiers.
At this point, I’m inclined to believe they are dead. Israel has already traded live palestinian terrorists for dead soldiers’ bodies, so Hezbullah evidently thought they could get away with it again. Apparently, not this time.
If I was Israel I would execute Lebanese terrorist Sami Kuntar and trade his dead body for the two soldiers. Hezbollah has murdered soldiers before whom they kidnapped. However the feckless Olmert is a moral and political degenerate so who knows what they will do.
Joel, I don’t think that Israel can go around executing people. First have a fair trial and then
have him executedgive him the death penalty.