Fuad Siniora's government declared Wednesday day off to welcome the return of the prisoners from Israel. NOW Lebanon has more on the matter.
At 9 a.m. Wednesday, five Lebanese prisoners , Samir Kantar, a Lebanese Palestinian Liberation Front Member who has been detained for murder in Israel since 1979; and Khodor Zidan, Maher Kurani, Mohammed Sarur and Hussein Suleiman, Hezbollah fighters captured during the 2006 war , will cross the Israeli border and enter Lebanon as part of an Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap deal that has been in the works for months. The swap will close Lebanon's detainee file with Israel, making Lebanon the first Arab country not at peace with the Jewish State to do so.
In exchange for the live prisoners and the remains of 200 Hezbollah fighters and Palestinians, Hezbollah will be handing over Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Israeli servicemen who were taken hostage by party militants in July 2006, prompting the 34-day war. Both are presumed dead.
This will be the eighth prisoner swap to take place between Israel and Hezbollah since 1991, with the most recent deal taking place in late 2007. Negotiations over potential deals have been ongoing since late 2006, under the auspices of the UN.
To receive Samir Kuntar with the red carpet is [or should be] a major embarrassment for Lebanon. In spite of the political calculations, Kuntar's most “heroic” gesture was to murder in cold blood a four years old girl. Oh wait. He did kill Einat's dad before smashing her skull.
Kuntar shot Danny Haran at close-range and threw his body into the sea to make sure he died. He then bashed Einat's head on rocks and with butt of his rifle, killing her instantly.
Hizballah could have celebrated their yet another “victory” for as long as they wish to, but to have the Prime Minister, the President and other officials greet him, that is just beyond common sense. I have nothing else to say of this scum.
