Speaking during an interview with Kol Chai Radio, former MK Ehud Yotam, a retired ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) chief of operations officer explained that the agency is compelled to comply with government directive. As such, in a situation such as today’s, with an impending prisoner exchange deal, the agency is preparing two simultaneous tracks, the preparations towards the release of terrorists and the second, preparations to enter hostile areas and towards recapturing the wanted terrorists being released.

Yotam stated that “absurd as it may sound,” this is his professional opinion based on personal experience.

Regarding the imminent Regev-Goldwasser prisoner release deal, he stated he supports the move, adding if he thought for a moment that Ron Arad was alive, he would give whatever is being demanded to obtain his release, but to his sorrow, this is not the case.

Yotam, who recently resigned from Knesset due to his outrage over the deterioration in the current coalition’s value system, indicated he does hope to return in the future when the situation has returned to its former standard.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)