DATE=4/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL / LEBANON / PRISONERS (L)
NUMBER=2-261234
BYLINE=ROSS DUNN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Israel is to release 13 of the 15 Lebanese
prisoners it has been holding without trial as
bargaining chips for Israeli soldiers missing in
action. Ross Dunn in Jerusalem the decision follows
an Israeli Supreme Court ruling that the government
can no longer detain people who are not a threat to
the nation's security.
TEXT: In response to the Supreme Court's decision,
Israeli prison officials announced they will release
13 of the 15 Lebanese prisoners within five-days.
But the Israeli military will not free the two others
-- Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid, a Shiite Muslim spiritual
leader, and Mustapha Dirani of the Amal guerrilla
movement.
/// OPT /// Sheikh Obeid was abducted by Israeli
commandos in 1989 and Mustapha Diriani in 1994. ///
END OPT ///
A researcher for the Israeli human-rights group
B'tselem, Ezekiel Lein, told V-O-A the decision would
not end such kidnappings by Israeli defense forces.
But, he says it will mean that in the future, any such
detainees will have to be charged or else released.
/// LEIN ACT ///
From the legal point of view, the meaning is
that you cannot kidnap someone without putting
him on trial or without proving he is a security
threat.
/// END ACT ///
The Lebanese detainees have been held, in some cases,
for more than 14-years, as bargaining chips for the
release of missing Israeli soldiers, including airman
Ron Arad, whose plane was shot down over Lebanon in
1986.
The Israeli military establishment says it will
respect the decision, but adds it will weaken the
ability of the defense forces to bring Mr. Arad home.
Mr. Arad's mother, Batia, says she feels the court has
betrayed her son, who had gone into enemy territory to
defend the Jewish homeland from attack. (SIGNED)
NEB/RD/JWH/RAE
12-Apr-2000 13:44 PM EDT (12-Apr-2000 1744 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
