2008 Israel–Hezbollah prisoner exchange

Event during Israel-Lebanon hostilities yes September 2020 thumb|Israel–Hezbollah prisoner exchange On 16 July 2008, Hezbollah transferred the coffins of two Israeli soldiers in exchange for 5 Lebanese militants held by Israel as well as the bodies of 199 militants captured in Lebanon or Israel. Exchange thumb|Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi saluting the coffin of Ehud Goldwasser Hezbollah released the remains of two captured Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.https://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215330982807&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull UN identifying bodies presumed to be of Goldwasser, Regev 18 July 2008 The Jerusalem Post 4 February 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120203072930/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215330982807&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull 3 February 2012 In exchange, Israel returned Palestinian Liberation Front militant Samir Kuntar, who was convicted of multiple murders in Israel, Nasim Nisr, a man of Jewish heritage who had immigrated to Israel from his native Lebanon and spied for Hezbollah, and Mahir Kourani, Mohammad Surour, Hussain Sulaiman and Khadr Zaidan, four Hezbollah militants taken prisoner by Israel in the 2006 Lebanon War. Israel also returned the remains of about 200 Lebanese and Palestinian militants killed whose bodies had been brought to Israel and buried there. Eight of these were Hezbollah fighters killed in the 2006 war.http://mobile.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL141960220080716 Hezbollah delivers remains of two Israeli soldiers 16 July 2008 Reuters 20 July 2011 It has long been the general policy of Israel not to return the remains of killed militants that had engaged in "hostile terrorist activity" to their families for burial.http://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/publication/199903_captive_corpses_eng.pdf CAPTIVE CORPSES 15 October 2007 B'tselem 20 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20121005110101/http://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/publication/199903_captive_corpses_eng.pdf 5 October 2012 dead The exchange deal was carried out in accordance with the Red Cross and UN observers.https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25697873 Hezbollah hands over coffins in prisoner swap 16 July 2008 MSNBC 16 July 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080717054631/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25697873 17 July 2008 live On 1 June 2008, Israel released the Lebanese-born Israeli convict Nasim Nisr (Nissim Nasser)http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10217887.html Gulfnews: Nisr's release raises hopes of freedom for more prisoners 3 October 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20080602174634/http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10217887.html 2 June 2008 deadhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5211930.stm Who are the Mid-East prisoners? BBC 16 July 2008 25 August 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20081122065323/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5211930.stm 22 November 2008 live in exchange for the remains of the two Israeli soldiers killed during the initial Hezbollah attack. In October 2007, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to exchange a civilian Hezbollah member kidnapped in 2006 and the remains of two Hezbollah fighters killed and brought to Israel, in exchange for the remains of Gabriel Dwait, an Israeli resident who drowned and washed ashore in Lebanon. The released prisoner was 50-year-old Hassan Naim Aqil, a former Hezbollah guerrilla who did not fight in the Second Lebanon War.https://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-frees-one-of-5-hezbollah-guerillas-two-bodies-of-militants-1.231075 https://web.archive.org/web/20100714155022/http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-frees-one-of-5-hezbollah-guerillas-two-bodies-of-militants-1.231075 dead 14 July 2010 Israel frees one of 5 Hezbollah guerillas, two bodies of militants 15 October 2007 Haaretz 20 July 2011 Reactions Although news of Kuntar's release was met with celebration at a Hezbollah rally in Beirut, Lebanon, Israeli experts believe that the majority of Lebanese people were not pleased with this exchange. The reason for this is because they see this as a victory for Hezbollah, whom they see as an enemy.https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israeli-experts-say-many-Lebanese-are-not-celebrating Nathan Cohen The Jerusalem Post 17 July 2008 Israeli experts say many Lebanese are not celebrating 7 May 2014 In Gaza City, many Palestinians celebrated the news of the exchange by handing out sweets.https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Gazans-celebrate-at-sight-of-coffins-turned-over-by-Hizbullah Gazans celebrate at sight of coffins turned over by Hizbullah 16 July 2008 The Jerusalem Post 7 May 2014 Israel's deputy foreign minister, Majalli Wehbi, called the Beirut celebrations "shameful", stating that "Kuntar's fans laud a man who prides himself on smashing a child's skull".http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3569288,00.html Deputy FM Whbee: Beirut Celebrations Shameful Nahmias Roee 16 July 2008 19 July 2008 Yedioth Ahronoth The foreign ministry also released a public diplomacy video in Arabic claiming Israel's moral victory in the swap. There was a mixed reaction worldwide, with many American news outlets criticizing the release of Kuntar and condemning the way he was praised in Lebanon. See also Israeli prisoner exchanges Hostage diplomacy Pidyon shvuyim References 30em External links Prisoner Exchange: Saying goodbye to Udi, Eldad Yedioth Ahronoth Category:2006 Lebanon War Category:2008 in Israel Category:2008 in Lebanon Category:Israeli prisoner exchanges Category:Iran–Israel proxy conflict Category:Hezbollah–Israel conflict Category:Israeli–Lebanese conflict Category:Hostage taking in Lebanon