[Maximinus Thrax]

Israel has confirmed that human remains handed over by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as part of a prisoner swap are those of two of its soldiers.

Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were seized in 2006 but until now there had been no confirmation of their deaths.

Israel has handed over five Lebanese prisoners and is releasing the remains of 200 Lebanese and other fighters.

The capture of the two Israeli soldiers sparked a month-long war between Israel and the Shia Islamist militant group.

Video footage shows two coffins being brought out of a car containing the bodies of two Israeli soldiers
Hezbollah shows the coffins containing the bodies of the Israeli soldiers

Israeli generals have reportedly visited both the soldiers' families to inform them personally of the identification of the bodies.

Earlier, the soldiers' relatives broke down in tears as they saw the images of Hezbollah handing over the two coffins.

The Lebanese prisoners crossed into Lebanon after being taken to Israel's Rosh Hanikra border crossing.

The exchange was mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

[J-I-GG-A]

...well thats good. its a positive step towards something. Not sure what, but good.

[Nietzsche13]

Wondering who is better at negotiating in this one.


I'll give you a juicy rock, you give me a crappy Mercedes car.

[bagamuffins]

doesnt really seem like a good deal, does it?

[bagamuffins]

doesnt really seem like a good deal, does it?

[muerteverde]

Well, since the Palistinians executed their prisoners before handing them over, Israel should have done the same. They just set free some very bad people in exchange for what?

[J-I-GG-A]

Originally Posted by muerteverde

Well, since the Palistinians executed their prisoners before handing them over, Israel should have done the same. They just set free some very bad people in exchange for what?

1 Israeli life = 10 Palestinian lives...that's why.

[Beisia]

Originally Posted by muerteverde

Well, since the Palistinians executed their prisoners before handing them over, Israel should have done the same. They just set free some very bad people in exchange for what?

Two wrongs don't make a right. More murder doesn't solve anything. Furthermore for all we know the 2 soldiers probably died at the beginning of the conflict last year.

The point is bilateral communication is essential and stopping the vicious circle of violenc. Israel, the occupying force, still refuses to open lines of communication while sealing more land. This is leading to ongoing international condemnation. Israel must do way more than swap a few prisoners to become a fair state, not an ongoing pariah state.

[PhatWah]

Do folks outside Israel know what Samir ****ar did?

On April 22, 1979, Samir ****ar led a group of four PLF members who entered Israel from Lebanon by boat.The goal of the operation was to attack Nahariya, 10 kilometers away from the Lebanese border.

The four murdered a policeman who came across them. The group then entered an apartment building...

One group broke into the apartment of the Haran family. They took 31 year-old Danny Haran hostage along with his four year-old daughter, Einat. The mother, Smadar Haran, was able to hide in a crawl space above the bedroom with her two year-old daughter Yael, and a neighbor.

****ar's group took Danny and Einat down to the beach, where a shootout with Israeli policemen and soldiers erupted. ****ar shot Danny at close range in the back, in front of his daughter, and drowned him in the sea to ensure he was dead. Next, he smashed the head of 4 year-old Einat on beach rocks and crushed her skull with the butt of his rifle

[muerteverde]

Originally Posted by Beisia

Two wrongs don't make a right. More murder doesn't solve anything. Furthermore for all we know the 2 soldiers probably died at the beginning of the conflict last year.

The point is bilateral communication is essential and stopping the vicious circle of violenc. Israel, the occupying force, still refuses to open lines of communication while sealing more land. This is leading to ongoing international condemnation. Israel must do way more than swap a few prisoners to become a fair state, not an ongoing pariah state.

Since when has Israel ever bought into that "two wrongs don't make a right" nonsense? They have been busy trying to even up the "wrongs" count for decades.

This does absolutely nothing to stop the cycle of violence. They let out not just political prisoners but cold blooded killers who had blown up childen. They won nothing politically from this exchange and the cause of peace is hurt by it, not helped.