Israel Television broadcast Monday night a videotaped interview with Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, the Shi’ite religious leader from southern Lebanon held captive in Israel for more than two years.
The purpose of the broadcast was to emphasize that Obeid’s freedom depends upon the fate of Ron Arad, an Israel air force navigator shot down over Lebanon in 1986.
Arad is the only one of seven Israeli servicemen missing in Lebanon who is believed to be alive. But concern has grown recently because of the lack of information as to his whereabouts.
Israel discounted recent British television reports that he is in Syrian hands.
Israelis are worried because outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, who has successfully brokered hostage-for-prisoner exchanges, has been unable to learn where Arad is or who is holding him.
The secretary-general, who leaves office at the end of the year, has said he hopes that all hostages will be freed by then, including captive Israelis.
Israel is reported ready to swap Obeid for Arad. The sheik was a spiritual leader of the Islamic fundamentalist Hezbollah, which Israel believed might be holding the airman or know who is.
But Hezbollah has denied any knowledge of Arad’s whereabouts. A spokesman said Monday that the only Israelis it holds are the bodies of two soldiers. They are believed to be Yossi Fink and Rachamim Alsheikh, whose deaths in captivity have been confirmed.
The Sheik Obeid interview was recorded two weeks ago by the Israel Broadcasting Authority’s Arabic language service. A copy was sent to Shi’ite groups in southern Lebanon before it was aired here.
Obeid seemed aware that his fate is linked with Arad’s. He said he hoped to be exchanged for the Israeli navigator and that hundreds of his “brothers” held by Israel or its allied South Lebanon Army would also be set free.
Obeid observed, in response to questions, that he and Arad shared the tragedy of having young daughters who do not know their own father. Obeid is the father of five.
He said his captors gave him no news about his family because, as they explained, Arad’s family has had no recent news of him.
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