Mm.. Ok.
PEACE NOW.. PEACE NOW.. PEACE NOW..
Mm ok.
Let’s exclude what happened in the last few days.
Let’s just behave as if we were in 2000.
Resistance freed the land.
Israel claims that IT took its OWN decision and the resistance attacks on its forces in the south have nothing to do with its withdrawal.
Let’s say that Sheb’aa farms are Syrian.
Mm.. ok..
Let’s exclude that we have Lebanese prisoners in Israel.
Let’s say that Samir Quntar is criminal and Skaf is dead.
Let’s say all that.
Mm.. ok..
How abut the mines’ maps?
Where are they??
Let’s they that Lebanese refuse to accept them from Israel.
What about UN?
Mm.. ok
PEACE with Israel? No..
posted by Hilal CHOUMAN @ 10:12 PM
19 Comments:
I asked one question u answered it by:
"How many Lebanony people died because of mines in the last 6 years. none."
non?
refer to UN and see..
6 week ?
i am talking about 6 years..
as for the maps.
giving some of the maps didn't mean that they gave it all.
refer to the accidents of mine bombings happened from 2000 till now.
and guys..
i didn't know ur opinion about marwaheen massacre..
hizballah did it??
Tuesday, May 22, 2001
(almost one year after israel withdrawl from sout lebanon)
Over 1,000 Lebanese Killed by Israeli Mines
A total of 1,167 people were killed and 1,546 others injured by Israel-planted landmines in south Lebanon during its 22-year occupation, according to Lebanese military sources.
The figures were disclosed by Lebanese Demining Office (LDO) in a statement on a U.N.-sponsored international conference on clearing landmines in south Lebanon, which was held in Beirut on Monday.
Since the Israeli withdrawal last May, 15 people have been killed and 99 others wounded by landmines in south Lebanon, said the statement.
The statement said the casualties were "considerable high" in view of Lebanon's population of some 4 million.
"The mines dotted around houses, farmland, roadsides and abandoned Israeli positions are threatening local people as well as reconstruction and development there," it said.
LDO said that Lebanon was planning to launch a nationwide drive to promote people's awareness of the threat imposed by landmines, urging the international community to help clear remaining landmines in Lebanon.
Lebanon and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused Israel of not providing precise mine maps. UNIFIL, which has begun clearing landmines since last July, said that it will take about 20 years to remove all remaining mines at present pace.
Israel planted about 130,000 mines in 1,500 mine fields in south Lebanon over the past years.
http://english.people.com.cn/english/200105/22/eng20010522_70633.html
that was only 1 year after the withdrawl
UN: Israel rejects to hand over maps of mines planted in South Lebanon
Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 1/21/2003
The personal envoy of the UN secretary general to south Lebanon Steven De Mistora and the Greek ambassador in Beirut yesterday inspected the patch of land from which mines were dismantled where the Greek non- governmental organization is working in the surrounding of al-Shaqif castle and Arnoun town in southern Lebanon.
During the tour, Mistora stressed that Israel did not hand over UNIFIL all landmines maps implanted in southern Lebanon and the Western Bekaa, noting that the UN and UNIFI will continue requesting Israel to hand over all maps to this effect.
He added that so far Israel has not joined Ottawa agreement on dismantling mines.
The Greek ambassador said that the area of the patch of land where the Greek team is working is 150 square kilometers, stressing that work will be completed within two months.
He indicated that Greece offered Lebanon 3 million dollars to contribute to dismantling landmines.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030121/2003012118.html
"Israel Says It Doesn’t Have Maps of Mines!"
UNIFIL Spokesman Timur Goksel
Daily Star
13 January 2001
Israel has told the United Nations it does not have maps showing the location of a large number of land mines in south Lebanon, UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel said on Friday.
Goksel said Israel had given UNIFIL maps for about 70,000 mines planted along the Lebanese-Israeli border, but not inside the former occupation zone.
“Israel said it does not have maps for the mines planted by their local militia,” he said.
Most of the mines inside the 1,000-square-kilometer zone were planted by Israel and the South Lebanon Army. The land mines maim or kill civilians in the area almost daily.
Hizbullah has demanded maps of the land mines in the area as part of a deal to hand back Israeli soldiers it holds.
Goksel’s comments came as three Lebanese soldiers were slightly wounded in Dibbine when mines they were attempting to defuse exploded.
The soldiers, who sustained wounds to their hands and arms, were taken for treatment to the public hospital in Marjayoun.
The Dibbine area was planted with some 1,500 mines, of which 40 percent have been removed, the army has said.
Nine Lebanese civilians have been killed and 63 wounded by mines since the Israeli withdrawal in May. The latest injuries bring to 15 the number of Lebanese troops hurt during mine-clearing operations.
The UN estimates that there are at least 130,000 Israeli mines and unexploded shells remaining in the South.
As a Lebanese who is concerned about the well being of his fellow Lebanese, you should definitely want peace with Israel. It's very illogical of you, Hilal, to think you can live in a peaceful country when you're at war with your neighbor. However, forced peace, or peace by war is not an option.
lc.
don't want peace in israel.
this doesn't mean that i'm against "hidneh".الهدنة
with*
"During an attack in October 2000 on Shebaa Farms, a small area of land acknowledged by the United Nations as outside Lebanon, Hezbollah captured three IDF soldiers who were killed either during the operation or in its immediate aftermath. Hezbollah sought to obtain the release of 14 Lebanese prisoners in exchange, together with Palestinian prisoners. The prisoner swap was carried out on January 29: 30 Lebanese and Arab prisoners, the remains of 60 Lebanese militants and civilians, 420 Palestinian prisoners, and maps showing Israeli mines in South Lebanon were exchanged for an Israeli businessman and army reserve colonel captured in 2001, and the remains of the three IDF soldiers mentioned above. "
u know now after when they began giving part of them?
http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:3_9lmzsMXpUJ:www.answers.com/topic/2006-israel-lebanon-crisis+mines+maps+lebanon+israel&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=29
"Lets say Samir Kuntar is criminal"?
"Lets say"?
The man SMASHED THE SKULL OF A FOUR YEAR OLD GIRL.
Anyone who could even suggest that this man is anything but a criminal - anyone who could suggest that this animal ought to ever see the light of day again - has no human decency.
Many of your fellow bloggers on this forum are worth reading (whether I agree with them or not, whether they support Hezbollah or not).
You, Hilal, have shown that you are not. I don't think you particularly care about my opinion on that, of course, but it is what it is.
israeli guys supporting attaks,
ok.. till tomorrow.. u remain here browsig website content.. iwanna be back tomorrow to see more comments..
let's see how much active u r..
a ahla bishabeib e66aybeh
not interested in reading the ranting above, but my two cents: if peace means mind your own business & dont let me see your face again, then I'm in. if it means come visit (after washing your hands from the blood), then I'll think again.
Hello! Recently I saw some coments about horible pictures of war, saing Israel dosn't publish pictures of bodies of war victims. Well, there was one time, that the govermant allowed filming of suicide bombing in Jerusalem. These shootings were on israely goverment sites for one day, before they were removed under the presure of Israeli cevilians.
The folowing link is a film editted by anonimous citizens of israel (or just jews around the world) that includes these shootings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ARhZ9MXu8&eurl=
sorry for my poor spelling
Is there no one who edits comments here? I'll be posting here only the once. Some of the commenters, from both sides, are nothing but racist scumbags, and are the reason why I won't be coming back here. If anyone wants to continue a more constructive discussion with me, they are more than welcome to visit my blog -
http://israelimom.blogspot.com/
Now my comment on your post Hilal. War is terrible. I would think seeing what it does to people in your country now would make you see just what a terrible thing it is. Peace is always better. Always. Peace is always a compromise too. It does not mean accepting one side's positions in the full. Never does. There will have to be sacrifices made on both sides.
I for one, would be happy to see my government sit to the negotiations table, discussing those very issues such as Lebanese prisoners, mine maps, the Sheb'aa farms (though that would probably have to be negotiated with Syria as well). Nothing should be an obstcale to peace. Nothing. Everything can be discussed and talking is always better than killing.
Ma'asalame
p.s. I can see how most of the prisoners are prisoners of war and not war criminals, but I too would make an exception with a guy that kills a 4 year old girl with his bare hands. How you can justify that as an act of war, I fail to see.
death: "i got to go, have better things to do"
ya ya I am sure you do!
I have two words for you: FUCK OFF. Don't expect more
To everyone wasting their time with DTA,
Don't bother.
People/animals that low don't deserve our time.
Marwa got it right
PLEASE READ THIS 'VERY' INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT SAMIR QUNTAR:
Samir Quntar, Israel's longest held Lebanese prisoner who has been incarcerated in Israeli jail for the past 30 years. In fact the Hezbollah operation last year in which 2 Israeli soldiers were kidnapped, which sparked the 34 day long war, was meant to use the 2 soldiers as bargaining chips in order to force Israel to release Samir Quntar.
"THE REAL REASON SAMIR QUNTAR IS ISRAEL'S LONGEST HELD LEBANESE PRISONER!!!!
(Samir Quntar; also spelled: Sameer Kantar, Kuntar, Qantar, Kintar, Qintar, Cantar)
Courtesy of: http://samirkuntar.net/Quntar.html
Samir Quntar
سمير القنطار
On July 12, 2006 Lebanese Hezbollah militants crossed the border with Israel in an operation dubbed "Operation Truthful Promise," which was aimed at nabbing Israeli soldiers in exchange for Lebanese prisoners. Hezbollah succeeded in the operation and successfully took hostage two Israeli soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. During the operation, eight Israeli soldiers were killed. This ignited the sequence of events which led to the Israel/Lebanon summer war.
The story goes further back than July of 2006. It really began in April 1979! On Sabbath day, April 22, 1979, Danny and Smadar Haran met up with a monster named Samir Quntar.
Danny and Smadar were a loving Israeli couple. They had everything they could ever hope for... love, marriage and two precious daughters, Einat, 4 and Yael, 2. That day Smadar was home anticipating Danny's return from work and preparing for the Sabbath. She had just picked up their two toddlers from day care. Danny, on the other hand, was looking forward to nothing more than getting home and spending time with his wife and his two young daughters.
Traditionally, the Sabbath is the most special day of the week, the day the family gets to spend time together and celebrate their bond to Judaism. It was especially important for Danny who, as a young father, had to work extra hard in order to provide for his wife and young children. Little did Smadar know that this would be the last Sabbath she would celebrate with her family because of a man named Samir Quntar. Around midnight the nightmare began!
Who is Samir Quntar?
Samir Quntar is one of three Lebanese prisoners still serving time in Israeli jails. Quntar, a Lebanese Druze born on July 20, 1962 in the Lebanese mountain village of Aabey currently holds the dubious distinction of being the longest held Lebanese prisoner in Israeli jails! He was a member of Abu Abbas' notorious PLF (Palestine Liberation Front) which committed despicable acts of terror against Israeli, Jewish, and American targets worldwide throughout the 1970's and 1980's. Quntar was convicted and sentenced to a 534 years prison sentence by the state of Israel. Israel even almost tried to pass a bill to have him executed! What did he do? What was his crime?
The Nasser Operation
The crime he committed was the most horrific crime ever committed on Israeli soil! On April 22, 1979 Samir Quntar along with a gang of three other PLF terrorists (Abed Majeed Asslan, Ahmed Al-Abras, and Mhanna Salim Al- Muyaed) departed from the southern Lebanese seashore city of Tyre on a 55-horsepowered rubber motor boat. Their destination was the Israeli coastal city of Naharyia, about 10 km south of the Lebanese border, the target of their operation was a residential apartment building. This operation was dubbed "Nasser Operation" and its aim was the killing and terrorizing of Israel's Jewish civilians.
The terrorists made landfall in the Israeli coastal city of Naharyia at around midnight, undetected under the cover of darkness. As they made their way along the shore, they were intercepted by an Israeli police officer whom they shot dead. In Naharya the terrorists broke into a building as other Israeli police officers arrived on the scene. The terrorists then broke into Danny and Smadar Haran's apartment, fired their weapons and threw grenades. Smadar managed to find a crawl space into which she, her younger daughter, 2 year old Yael, and a neighbor all hid. To prevent Yael from crying and giving away their hiding place, Smadar covered the child's mouth with her hand.
According to Smadar "They held Danny and Einat while they searched for me and Yael, knowing there were more people in the apartment. I will never forget the joy and the hatred in their voices as they swaggered about hunting for us, firing their guns and throwing grenades. I knew that if Yael cried out, the terrorists would toss a grenade into the crawl space and we would be killed. So I kept my hand over her mouth, hoping she could breathe. As I lay there, I remembered my mother telling me how she had hidden from the Nazis during the Holocaust. 'This is just like what happened to my mother,' I thought."
Sadly, Smadar's attempt to muffle her daughter's whimpering proved fatal. Yael was accidentally suffocated and died within the hiding space.
According to Smadar Haran, her last memories of Danny and Einat, that day, were when they were being led away at gun point by Quntar. She could hear from her closet space Danny telling Einat, "Don't be scared, my baby, it will be alright" and Einat replied to him in her little voice, "Dad, where is Mommy? I want Mommy." Smadar's last memory of her 2-year-old daughter, Yael, was when her little daughter was taken to the apartment hiding space. Right before Yael had her mouth covered by her mother, she asked her mother "Where is my little pacifier." There was no time to search for the pacifier. Minutes later Smadar covered Yael's mouth to keep her from revealing the hiding space. Smadar soon felt her daughter's tiny tongue licks and lip sucking on the palm of her hand. She didn't know what to make of it at first but hours later was told by doctors and paramedics that the reason Yael was licking her palm while she covered her mouth was because she was gasping for air.
After taking Danny and four-year old Einat hostage, Quntar and his group took them down to the beach. Samir Quntar quickly shot Danny in the back and then drowned him in the Mediterranean Sea to ensure his death. While Quntar drowned Danny, he forced terrified Einat to watch and cry. According to eyewitnesses, "Danny was murdered in front of Einat so that his death would be the last sight she would ever see." Little Einat would not have that horrible memory in her head for long. Quntar, the brave Lebanese freedom fighter, crushed Einat's skull over and over upon the rocks with the butt of his rifle until she was dead.
During the ensuing shootout between Quntar's terror group and Israeli police, two policeman were killed along with two of the Arab terrorists. Quntar and the fourth participant, Ahmed Al-Abrass, were captured. Ahmed Al-Abrass was later free by the Israeli authorities in the infamous May 1985 Ahmed Jibril prisoner exchange deal in which 1,150 Arab prisoners (some of whom had blood on their hands) were exchanged for three Israeli soldiers. Quntar was not included in the deal.
The Israeli government determined at first to make a decision to execute Quntar, for his horrific crime, especially for the fact that he tortured and beat to death the 4-year old toddler. Israeli Prime Minister at that time, Menachem Beagin , proposed a draft resolution to the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Israeli Keenest on April 24, 1979. He demanded to eliminate a previous resolution stipulated by the Israeli cabinet, which said no execution should be implemented against terrorists as the international law prohibits it. The Israeli Foreign Minister Izer Weizman and Transportation Minister Hayeem Landau supported Beagin’s draft resolution. Abraham Sharer, who was the head of the Likude parliamentary bloc also, called for Quntar’s execution. Isaac Shamir issued a statement on April 25, 1979 also calling for his execution.
The Israelis tried to implement the execution sentence on Samir Quntar and the whole parliament agreed on them. The only dilemma they were having was the Israeli law that doesn’t allow execution except for the Nazis of the World War II and to those found guilty of betrayal to their country. Furthermore, they did not want the international community on their backs; also, they wanted to improve their relationship with Egypt after the peace process. As a consequence, the Israeli central court in Haifa sentenced Quntar to 5 life sentences plus 47 years to come up with the total of 542 years. During the trial, Quntar was waving victory signs, and called himself a hero.
Samir Quntar has confessed proudly to his murder of the little girl and never once showed one ounce of remorse for his crime. Even while serving his prison term, he has bragged repeatedly during interviews about how proud he was for murdering the 4-year-old Israeli child. While in prison Quntar got married and even receives conjugal visits. Below he stands proudly alongside other convicted Arab murderer, Marwan Barghouti.
Several months later, the PLF seized the Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship, and demanded that Israel release Quntar along with a list of 50 other Palestinian prisoners. Ironically out of the 50 Arab Palestinian prisoners that were demanded, Quntar was the ONLY one that was "actually" named on that list. The hijackers killed a wheelchair-bound American Jewish passenger, Leon Klinghoffer, and threw him overboard into the Mediterranean Sea. Quntar was not released, but his supporters would not give up. In 2004 Israel release ALL Lebanese prisoners except for Quntar and two other Lebanese (Nissim Nasser and Yehya Sakaf). In fact Quntar, as well, was almost released by Israel during that infamous Israel Hezbollah Prisoner Exchange of 2004, BUT in the last second Hezbollah violated the agreement and Quntar remained behind bars!
War: July 12, 2006
On July 12, 2006 per orders of Hezbollah leader, Sheik Hasssan Nasrallah, Hezbollah terrorists crossed the northern Israeli border. They attacked two Israeli military vehicles with anti tank missiles, killed four soldiers, kidnapped two others and demanded the immediate unconditional release of Samir Quntar in exchange for the two abducted soldiers. Hezbollah originally named this operation "Operation Freedom for Samir Al-Quntar," but on the days leading up to the July 12 attack it was shortened to "Operation Truthful Promise." The latter referred to the "true promise" Nasrallah had made to the Quntar family that the cross-border kidnapping of IDF soldiers to force the release of Samir Quntar.
In subsequent interviews on Al-Manar TV station Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh, the Lebanese Minster of Health, congratulated Hezbollah for "its great actions" and said that "Lebanon has the right to regain its prisoners and liberate them." Ali Ammar, an Hezbollah member of the Lebanese Parliament, stated his opinion that "particularly at this basic stage in the history of the homeland and the nation, this government should have expressed solidarity with its people and let Samir Quntar feel that he is a Lebanese par excellence." After the kidnapping, Samir Quntar’s brother, Bassam Quntar, said "I kiss the hands and foreheads of the warriors who executed the kidnap. I imagine Samir at the moment, with happiness raising his spirits and those of his friends," he said.
As expected, the Israeli government was not interested in negotiating with terrorists. They sent a small number of troops into southern Lebanon in an attempt to quickly find and free their two soldiers. Soon Hezbollah began shelling Israel's northern communities with Katuysha rockets in an attempt to kill as many innocent men, women and children as possible and to pressure the Israeli government to take the prisoner exchange demand. Israel had no choice but to escalate their response. Both Hezbollah, their supporters and Lebanon's civil infrastructure all suffered the consequences. Even though Israel defeated Hezbollah during this war, it still didn't manage to get its soldiers back.
During the fighting Israel captured a Hezbollah terrorist by the name of Ali Hassan Saliman. According to Saliman, in the interviews/interrogations following his capture, he said that “the main objective of Hezbollah's corss-border kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers was to secure the release of Samir Quntar.” Also, that “Nasrallah had made a promise to the Quntar family that Samir would be released. The Hezbollah operation was first and foremost aimed at releasing Quntar. Everything else was secondary.”
Israel's track record of going against it's previous policy of not releasing Arab prisoners with blood on their hands in exchange for IDF soldiers has come home to roost. Arab terrorist groups have been encouraged to kidnap Israelis in the hope (and often the expectation) that these soldiers will become bargaining chips for the release of Arab prisoners. This softening of Israel's formerly strict policy of never negotiating with terrorists has merely added fuel to the fire. Israeli soldiers are supposed to protect the children of Israel, not to facilitate the release of child murderers, such as the monster, Samir Quntar.
Neither Israelis individually nor their military intentionally targets children or any non-combatant, for that matter. When children die, it is nearly always because they are caught in the crossfire or when they are "set up" by their fellow Arab-terrorists to score propaganda points. But NEVER would manner of the killing be so pre-planned nor would the act itself be so glorified, such as that as Samir Quntar.
Smadar Haran has since remarried and is raising a new family. She hopes that Samir Quntar will stay behind bars until his dying day. "I don't believe that the terrorist will be released now, and I don't believe that the Israeli government will accept this request, after it promised not to release terrorists with blood on their hands."
We at SamirKuntar.net concur with Smadar Haran. We will do whatever we can to see that Samir Quntar rots in Israeli prisons. We would also urge the Israeli government and courts to reverse the long-standing policy of not allowing for the administration of the death sentence. After all, Samir Quntar and other Samir Quntars like him never thought twice about administrating the death sentence to little Einat Haran and other Einat Harans just like her!
CONCLUSION
Quntar was not the reason Israel chose to go to war with Lebanon but he was the reason Hezbollah kidnapped the two soldiers which set the war process in motion.
POSTSCRIPT
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah doubt that Quntar murdered Danny and Einat Haran. The only difference is that Israel sees him as the cold-blooded murderer he is. Hezbollah and their supporters glorify him as a freedom fighter and hero!
There is another point worth mentioning. Hezbollah has never claimed that Quntar was innocent or that he may have been framed. They only demand his release as if he were being held unlawfully and that Israel had no right to imprison him. Once again it's all about Israel never doing any right and Arabs incapable of doing any wrong!
A SAD GRUESOME REALITY
After drowning Danny in the sea in front of little Einat, Quntar, the brave Lebanese freedom fighter, then turned his attention towards the frightened little 4-year old. He took his rifle and then swung it across the little toddler's head, knocking her to the ground. As little Einat was knocked to the ground, she was screaming and crying hysterically "mommy daddy help me," while thrashing her little legs around in the sand. But unfortunately Einat was alone, and no one was there to save her. Quntar then dragged the little toddler a couple of feet to the closest rock he could find, this was while she was begging him not to hurt her. Quntar, then laid her head down on a rock, with the intention of crushing it with the butt of his rifle. Einat, instinctively covered her head with her little arms, Quntar struggled with the little toddler until he finally managed to clear her arms out of the way so that he could aim for the head, and then he proceeded on beating her over and over with the butt of his rifle until blood rushed out of her ears and her little cries faded away as she was knocked into unconsciousness. Then, to ensure she was dead, Quntar continued on beating her over the head, as hard as he could, several more times until her skull was crushed and she was dead.
SHORT NOTE: The way Samir Quntar killed little Einat is reminiscent to the way the Nazis used to kill Jewish babies during the Holocaust, by crushing their little heads with their boots or with the butts of their rifles!
ARTICLES AND REFERENCES
Israel moots Quntar prisoner swap
(AL-JAZEERA 9/17/2006)
http://english.aljazeera.net/News/Archive/Archive?ArchiveID=35918
Free the monster Samir Quntar
(Haaretz article 09/04/2006)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/758531.html
Plot to free terrorist (Quntar) may have led to fight
(Washington Times 8/8/2006)
http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060807-111009-8857r.htm
Nasrallah says no deal without Samir
(9/12/2006 BBC article "Nasrallah Demands Militant Free")
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5340364.stm
"Hizballah Wants Israel to Free Child-Killer"
(Cybercast News Service, 7/18/2006)
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200607/INT20060718b.html
More than 25 years later, militant still atop Hezbollah's list for swap
(Seattle Times 8/16/2006)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003168928_lebswap02.html?syndication=rss
Why Hezbollah Attacked Israel
(Mens News Daily 8/09/2006)
http://mensnewsdaily.com/2006/08/09/why-hezbollah-attacked-israel
Samir Quntar to be released very soon
The Jerusalem Post 1/6/2007
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467671390&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
The Murder of Jewish Toddlers!
What HEZBOLLAH is “ALL ABOUT!”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/7487
On July 12, 2006 Lebanese Hezbollah militants crossed the border with Israel in an operation dubbed "Operation Truthful Promise," which was aimed at nabbing Israeli soldiers in exchange for Lebanese prisoners. Hezbollah succeeded in the operation and successfully took hostage two Israeli soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. During the operation, eight Israeli soldiers were killed. This ignited the sequence of events which led to the Israel/Lebanon summer war.
The story goes further back than July of 2006. It really began in April 1979! On Sabbath day, April 22, 1979, Danny and Smadar Haran met up with a monster named Samir Kuntar.
Danny and Smadar were a loving Israeli couple. They had everything they could ever hope for... love, marriage and two precious daughters, Einat, 4 and Yael, 2. That day Smadar was home anticipating Danny's return from work and preparing for the Sabbath. She had just picked up their two toddlers from day care. Danny, on the other hand, was looking forward to nothing more than getting home and spending time with his wife and his two young daughters.
Traditionally, the Sabbath is the most special day of the week, the day the family gets to spend time together and celebrate their bond to Judaism. It was especially important for Danny who, as a young father, had to work extra hard in order to provide for his wife and young children. Little did Smadar know that this would be the last Sabbath she would celebrate with her family because of a man named Samir Kuntar. Around midnight the nightmare began!
(Samir Kuntar; also spelled: Sameer Kuntar, Kantar, Qantar, Kintar, Quntar, Qintar, Cantar)
What's the deal with Samir Kuntar?
Since April 22, 1979 Samir Kuntar has been incarcerated in an Israeli prison. Samir Kuntar, a Druze from the Lebanese mountain village of Aabey , who currently holds the dubious distinction of being the longest held Lebanese prisoner in Israeli jails. Kuntar is currently ONE of THREE Lebanese prisoners still serving time in Israeli jails. Kuntar was convicted and sentenced to a 542 years prison sentence by the state of Israel . Israel even almost tried to pass a bill to have him executed! What did he do? What was his crime? The crime Kuntar committed was one of the most sickest, heinous, barbaric crime ever committed on Israeli soil.
The crime took place on April 22, 1979 when Kuntar led a group of 3 other terrorists, all members of Abu Abbas PLF (Palestinian Liberation Front), infiltrated the Israeli coastal city of Naharya and broke into the Haran family apartment and took Danny Haran and his 4 year old daughter Einat Haran hostage. When Kuntar and his gang broke into the apartment, the wife, Smadar Haran and her 2 year old daughter Yael, were also present in the apartment. Smadar managed to find a crawl space into which she, her younger daughter, 2 year old Yael, and a neighbor all hid. To prevent Yael from crying and giving away their hiding place, Smadar covered the child's mouth with her hand.
Kuntar and his group took Danny and little Einat down to the beach. At the beach Kuntar shot Danny in the back. Danny survived the gun shot but moments later was drowned personally by Kuntar. All this was witnessed by the young daughter. Kuntar forced her to watch her father's murder so that [in Kuntar's words] "his death would be the last sight she would ever see." Kuntar then laid the little toddler down on a rock and smashed her head with the butt of his rifle. She didn’t die right away, so Kuntar beat her with his rifle repeatedly, over and over again (all this done, while she was screaming and crying), to ensure that she was dead.
Meanwhile in the apartment, Smadar's attempt to muffle her daughter's whimpering proved fatal. Yael was accidentally suffocated and died within the hiding space.
And on July 12, 2006, the ONLY reason why Ehud Goldawasser and Eldad Regev were kidnapped by Hezbollah, was to force Israel to release/surrender Samir Kuntar.
Now the dilemma is, should Israel release Samir Kuntar in order to gain the release of Goldwasser and Regev? Unfortunately Kuntar might be freed in the next couple of days in exchange for these two soldiers, or their caskets, since there hasn’t been even one sign of life since their kidnapping on July 12th. For those who didn’t know, Samir Kuntar was the only reason that’s been holding back the release of Goldwasser and Regev, for almost a year and a half.
The nerve of Hezbollah to honor a child killer like Kuntar. The nerve of Hezbollah to kidnap two Israeli soldiers in order to force Israel to release a child murderer from jail! This is what Hezbollah is all about.
The July 12, 2006 abduction was originally named “Operation Freedom Samir Kuntar,” by Hezbollah. But days before the kidnapping Hezbollah changed the name of the operation to “Operation Truthful Promise,” due to the fact that Nasrallah made a true promise to the family of Samir Kuntar to have him freed from jail.
In September 2000, three Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hizbollah, along with an Israeli businessman, Elhanan Tennenbaum. Nasrallah immediately demanded Israel release all its Lebanese prisoners INCLUDING Samir Kuntar. In 2004 Israel was holding a TOTAL of 26 Lebanese prisoners. That same year, 23 out of those 26 prisoners were released, in order to secure the release of those 3 IDF (Israeli Defense Force) soldiers as well and Elhanan Tennenbaum. This prisoner exchange also had a second phase, which involved Hezbollah providing solid evidence on the fate of Ron Arad (the Israeli pilot who went missing in Lebanon in 1986) and in exchange, Israel would release the 24th Lebanese prisoner, Samir Kuntar! Hezbollah failed to deliver the information on Arad, and the deal was off.
In 2006, when Goldwasser and Regev were kidnapped Israel was out of bargain chips, its only choice in order to gain information on the fate of these two soldiers is the release Samir Kuntar. Who even knows if Goldwasser and Regev are alive! Let’s not forget, the four years prior to the “infamous Israel-Hezbollah prisoner exchange of 2004,” Israel had no idea on the fate of their soldiers until the day of the exchange. Only on the day of the exchange Israel found out, they would receive 3 caskets instead of 3 soldiers.
It is beyond sickening, a man who beat to death a little toddler is celebrated for his glorious deed. Kuntar has been dubbed by some parts of the Arab world as the “Dean of World Prisoners.” Who would imagine? Hezbollah crossing the border into Israel, killing four Israeli soldiers and kidnapping 2 more, going through all this trouble, JUST to free a child killer!
There is another point worth mentioning. Hezbollah has never claimed that Kuntar was innocent or that he may have been framed. They only demand his release as if he were being held unlawfully and that Israel had no right to imprison him.
Kuntar is probably the most hated person by the Israeli public. He is known as the “killer of Nahrya” instead of “terrorist of Nahrya.” And to think that this person is being released under the context of threat, extortion, and blackmail! If it wasn’t for kidnapping of soldiers, Kuntar would have continued to serve out his sentence.
Israel has an extensive history of releasing prisoner with blood on their hands, it has been done in the past and most expect that, it would happen again. This time with Kuntar. It is important to keep in mind that prisoners who are in Israeli jails are serving time for something. Israel is not a "gangster" or "lawless" state that imprisons people based solely on a whim. Every prisoner was charged, stood trail, convicted and properly sentenced. They were not kidnapped simply because they were Arabs. Hence, there is no justification in comparing the kidnapped Israeli soldiers to Samir Kuntar.
There is a fine line between a humanitarian release of prisoners or releasing prisoners for the sake of peace AND knuckling under to unadulterated extortion. There is also a huge difference between someone with hatred in his head and he who has blood on his hands! Nobody expects that someone like Kuntar who is released will become Lovers of Israel! But someone and others like Kuntar who have committed murder or collaborated in the planning of that murder should be considered an unacceptable risk. It goes beyond forgiving terrorism. It becomes an abetting in any future terrorism carried out by those released. Israel will viewed as a weak state that can be brought to its knees by extortion.
If Israel was to release Kuntar it would be the biggest thing they ever surrendered! The Sinai Peninsula, Israel gave back under negotiations, the West Bank and Gaza Israel also gave back under negotiations of the Oslo Accords. In 1985 during the famous “Ahmed Jibril Exchange” Israel released 1200 prisoners for the release of 3 IDF soldiers, some of those prisoners who were released had blood on their hands including Kozo Okamoto who killed 22 Israelis. BUT even all those 1200 prisoners put together, cannot compare to the savage murderous act committed by Samir Kuntar. Israel also currently holds 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, some of which have been incarcerated for conspiring, carrying out, and masterminding murderous terrorist attacks (suicide bombings, shootings, etc…), which targeted Jewish civilians in Israel. BUT even all those 10,000 prisoners put together cannot compare to Kuntar.
Kuntar could have shot little Einat or blown her up, but instead he took his loaded gun and just bludgeoned her on the head repeatedly for several minutes until she was dead! Lets not also forget, the fact, that several minutes prior to murdering Einat, Kuntar drowned her father in front of her, and forced her to watch.
Anyone, who reads this article and does not shed a tear, is not a human being.
What kind of country is this to release a child murderer from jail under the context of threat and extortion? If we release Kuntar, we know what message it sends to Hezbollah and other terror groups like Hamas, etc… But what obscene messages does it send to the families of those Israeli murdered, especially Smadar Haran whose daughter was beaten to death by a man who hates Jews. What Kuntar did was not only a terrorist act but should also be considered a criminal act. And what demoralizing message does it send to the Israeli troops and security services who risked their lives in order to capture and arrest the terrorists?
There is no doubt that Goldwasser and Regev need to be unconditionally released from Lebanon, Syria, Iran or from wherever they are now being held. Olmert's "good will gesture" has disaster written all over it. Appeasement didn't work with Hitler and it will not work with Hezbollah. "Negotiations" will not work either for over what exactly is there to negotiate? How far will Israel go to assure its own disappearance?
There will be nothing positive coming out of the release of Kuntar. There is no worst context of releasing prisoners than under the context of threat. But today October 15, 2007 there is chatter within Israel to drop the demand for Ron Arad for the exchange of Kuntar.
The Official Website of Samir Kuntar
http://SamirKuntar.net
Israel moots Kuntar prisoner swap
(AL-JAZEERA 9/17/2006)
http://english.aljazeera.net/News/Archive/Archive?ArchiveID=35918
Free the monster Samir Kuntar
(Haaretz article 09/04/2006)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/758531.html
Plot to free terrorist (Kuntar) may have led to fight
(Washington Times 8/8/2006)
http://www.washtimes.com/world/20060807-111009-8857r.htm
Nasrallah says no deal without Samir
(9/12/2006 BBC article "Nasrallah Demands Militant Free")
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5340364.stm
"Hizballah Wants Israel to Free Child-Killer"
(Cybercast News Service, 7/18/2006)
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200607/INT20060718b.html
More than 25 years later, militant still atop Hezbollah's list for swap
(Seattle Times 8/16/2006)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003168928_lebswap02.html?syndication=rss
Why Hezbollah Attacked Israel
(Mens News Daily 8/09/2006)
http://mensnewsdaily.com/2006/08/09/why-hezbollah-attacked-israel
Samir Kuntar to be released very soon
The Jerusalem Post 1/6/2007
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467671390&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Post a Comment
<< Home