The family of policeman Eliyahu Shachar on Monday filed a petition with the Supreme Court in the hope of halting the Regev-Goldwasser prisoner exchange deal.

Shachar was one of Samir Kuntar’s victims in the 1979 attack, with the late policeman’s brother Yoram explaining there is no justification to release the arch terrorist in return for dead bodies.

The petition attacks the deal from a number of angles, including the Winograd Commission report that followed the comprehensive investigation into the Second Lebanon War.

In addition, the petitioners explain the release of Kuntar will undoubtedly encourage additional kidnap attempts with Hizbullah realizing the value of having soldiers to trade in exchange for prisoners, dead or alive. They also point out that releasing Kuntar for bodies sends a clear message to Hamas, that the fate of Gilad Shalit is unimportant and Israel will trade for him even if he is dead. The court has given the state 24 hours to respond.

In the meantime, Ofer Dekel on Sunday signed the agreement, which was handed to a United Nations official, permitting both sides to move along.

Hizbullah is furnishing Israel with a ‘report’ on Ron Arad, but lawmakers have stated they do not expect any news regarding the fate of the air force navigator who fell into captivity in 1986, and vanished in 1988. Nevertheless, the cabinet approved the deal to exchange Kuntar for dead bodies.

Yoram announced that if we know that Regev and Goldwasser are alive, he will personally volunteer and drive Kuntar to the border in his car, warning that his release in exchange for bodies sends a very dangerous message to Hamas, Hizbullah and other terror organizations in addition to the act being deplorable and immoral.

Dr. Aryeh Bacharach, whose son Ohad was murdered by terrorists, called on Mrs. Karnit Goldwasser to withdraw the deal, questioning how she in good conscious can look the nation in the eye knowing that Kuntar is being released for bodies, at the expense of Ron Arab and others.

Government officials are signaling that the actual exchange will take place sometime next week.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)