22 years after air force navigator Ron Arad fell into captivity, the government has received a report from Hizbullah which does not shed any light on the case, but government officials are signaling they are leaning towards declaring Arad dead.

Tammy Arad stated we may not permit the report from Hizbullah to bring closure to the case. Tammy released statements that she still waits daily to hear some news regarding her husband and she is not about to abandon hope as a result to the Hizbullah report.

The years continue to pass and the government continues to release terrorists, dead and alive, including the two ‘trump cards’, who were intended to negotiate Ron’s release, Sheikh Abdul Karim Obeid and Mustafa Dirani. They too were released in a deal, in 2004, and now, the last hope, Samir Kuntar is being released, most likely for the return of the bodies of two soldiers.

Air force Colonel (reserves) Yogev Nissim stated on Tuesday, “I do not want to die not knowing what happened to my closest friend.” Nasrallah is a pathological liar and his report is fabricated yet the government seems to believe him. It is most unfortunate that the government is trying to fool the people. The government crossed a red line, trading live terrorists in exchange for bodies. The government is not standing firm in its demand that Kuntar will be released on in exchange for credible information pertaining to Arad.”

According to the Hizbullah document presented to Israel as part of the Regev-Goldwasser prisoner exchange deal, Arad died in Lebanon and was never taken to Iran. His burial location remains a mystery.

Colonel Nissim met Ron in 1978. Arad was his superior. They set out on the same mission in Oct. 1986 when Ron was taken captive. “We left together and flew together over Lebanon. Ron was taken prisoner and I returned home. He never came back. We may not leave him, my brother” stated Nissim.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)