At present, it appears a majority of the cabinet opposes the release of terrorists to Hizbullah in return for what are believed will be the bodies of IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. Although there is no absolute factual data, all the evidence indicates the two soldiers did not survive the northern border attack in July 2006 in which they fell into Hizbullah hands.

The families of the soldiers are lobbying cabinet ministers, with an emphasis on Shas rabbanim and cabinet ministers. On Sunday, the parents of the soldiers met in the Har Nof home of Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, seeking to impress upon him the need to instruct party ministers to vote in favor of the prisoner exchange deal.

Further complicating the situation is a government consideration to have the IDF Chief Rabbinate declare the soldiers dead in an effort to reduce Hizbullah’s bargaining power. Such a move would deliver a heavy blow to the families, in addition to the reality that the government is not absolutely certain that the soldiers are no longer among the living.

IDF and ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) intelligence officials oppose the deal, as does the Mossad Intelligence Agency.

Shas leader Minister Eli Yishai stated that there are halachic considerations too, citing the fact that Karnit Goldwasser is currently an aguna.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)