Defense Minister Moshe Arens said Thursday that 51 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners were released Wednesday by the Israel-backed South Lebanon Army because Israel wanted to lend “momentum” to U.N. efforts toward prisoner-hostage exchanges.
Arens spoke as optimism grew that at least one American and one British hostage would soon be released as a consequence of Israel’s act.
In Washington, President Bush told reporters at the White House he was “very pleased” by Israel’s prisoner release.
Still, Arens cautioned, “I think it is far too early to talk about any other steps.”
Israel returned the bodies of nine Hezbollah militiamen who were killed in clashes and buried in Israel. Both moves elicited approving statements from Islamic fundamentalist groups, which hinted the hostage ordeal may be nearing an end.
They were also applauded by U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, who told Israel Radio he felt very encouraged. “I feel that this is a further step toward finding a solution to the release of all hostages of all nationalities,” he said, adding that there could be no discrimination between nationalities.
Arens, for his part, declined to comment on a report broadcast by the Arab-owned Radio Monte Carlo that there would be an imminent return to Israel of the body of Israel Defense Force Sgt. Samir Assad.
Assad, a Druse from Israel captured by Lebanese Shi’ites, was killed in an Israeli air raid, his captors have claimed. “I suggest we simply wait a few hours to find out if that is indeed the case,” said Arens.
News about the fate of Assad followed Israel’s receipt of “credible evidence” that Israeli soldier Rachamim Alsheikh is dead. And there was uncertainty voiced about the fate of Yosef Fink, who was kidnapped in Lebanon along with Alsheikh in 1986.
RUMORS OF HOSTAGE RELEASE
The Radio Monte Carlo broadcast said one Western hostage held in Lebanon could be expected to be released “shortly.” Arens suggested that the key to further releases lies in Damascus and Teheran, where the U.N. secretary-general is presently holding consultations.
He said that Iran and Syria are now working actively toward the release of Western hostages, in their desire to improve their international images and become a part of the world community.
Arens said Israel expects “the completion of the secretary-general’s visit to Teheran, and we hope there will be news when he completes that visit.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, a Lebanese Shi’ite minister close to the hostage negotiators predicted in Beirut that one American and one Briton would be freed “within a week.”
It was strongly suggested they could be Church of England emissary Terry Waite and American journalist Terry Anderson, both believed held by Islamic Jihad.
That group released photographs of the two men Thursday, which was seen as an encouraging sign.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
