Israel Denies Any Possibility To Free Barghouti

     Al-Hayat     2003/09/24

Israeli officials kept the details of a prisoners exchange with Hezbollah through German mediation ambiguous. They preferred not to comment on what was published in the Palestinian and Lebanese press, except for the possibility of freeing Fatah's Marwan Barghouti detained in the Israeli prisons for more than 17 months. They rushed to deny this possibility by saying that he "perpetrated crimes," at times, and that it is not legally possible since judicial procedures are not over yet, at other times.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's comment on the release, or non-release, of Marwan Barghouti was: "the names and numbers (of detainees who will be freed) which (Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah is talking about is inaccurate and Israel is not willing to free Barghouti."

Justice Minister Yosef Lapid that it is impossible to free Barghouti "even if the political powers decided to do so" claiming that a civil court is still considering the accusations against him and that such a procedure requires amnesty from Israel's president and Justice Minister after the court issues its sentence against Barghouti.

Internal Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said that the expected deal would not include Barghouti "who should remain behind bars for years because he is the leader of the terrorists and is accused of killing hundreds of Israelis." He added in a radio broadcast that the Israeli Prison Service, which falls under his authority, did not receive instructions to prepare for the release of detainees, indicating that this will not be done within the coming few days, contrary to what was written in the Palestinian press.

High ranked sources denied what Reuters cited of an Israeli Security source according to which the agreement will include Barghouti, and added "they can not even think about such an issue". Legal advisor to the government Elyakim Rubinstein, known for his feverous opposition to Barghouti's release issued a statement saying that the idea of freeing Barghouti can not be considered.

Radio Israel said that the deal, which will be closed soon, must be subject to the ratification of the Israeli security Cabinet, "which will not meet before the Hebrew new year, next Sunday."

Israeli media expected the deal to be closed soon, and said that Nasrallah's commitment to make every effort to search for the missing pilot Ron Arad has paved the way for the deal. And that there is no problem between Israel and Hezbollah as far as releasing all the Lebanese detainees (19) including Sheikh Abdulkarim Obeid and Sheikh Mustapha Al Dirani and around 180 other Arab detainees, in exchange of the release of Israeli Reserve General Elchanan Tenenbaum and the bodies of the three Israeli soldiers who were detained by Hezbollah three years ago. However the number and identity of the Palestinian detainees remained unsolved. Yedioth Ahronoth cited the insistence of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's on not freeing the detainees "whose hands are stained with blood." Sharon also denied rumors of freeing hundreds of Palestinian detainees claiming that the purpose of this release is a test, which would force Hezbollah to accept no less than 200 Palestinian detainees.