Defense Minister Ehud Barak is working to finalize a deal with Hizbullah that would result in the return of soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Along those lines, he summoned a number of reserve duty generals to meet with him, seeking their opinion on the proposed deal, the release of Samir Kuntar and a number of other Hizbullah prisoners in exchange for the soldiers — and according to most, the bodies of the soldiers since they are believed to have died of their massive injuries sustained in the July 2006 attack when they were taken captive.

Among the notables who arrived to meet with Barak were former air force commanders Eitan Ben-Eliyahu and David Haivri. A number of major-generals (reserves) also responded to the defense minister’s call, including but not limited to Giora Eiland [who also served as head of the National Security Council], Uri Saguy [a retired chief of military intelligence] and Ze’ev Livne [a former homefront commander].

Barak heard some harsh criticism, including one of the retired senior officers who decried a deal in which live terrorists are traded for bodies, especially a terrorist of the caliber of Samir Kuntar. Others were opposed to the very notion of entering into negotiations with Hizbullah.

On the other side, some felt there is no alternative, adding Kuntar has already served 30 years in an Israeli prisoner and the issue is to bring the boys home, alive or dead.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)