Peres: Kidnapped soldiers alive and well

The Jerusalem Post ^ | 08/15/2006 | By ASSOCIATED PRESS

[garbageseeker]

Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Wednesday that "to the best of my information," the two IDF soldiers abducted by Hizbullah "are alive and they are healthy."

Peres, who was holding talks with US officials, also disclosed that planes from Arab countries had been permitted during the war to fly over Israel on their way to Lebanon to deliver food and medicine.

He declined to provide any details, such as which countries had overflights and how many flights were permitted by Israel.

"Most of the Arab countries had double-feelings," Peres said. "They didn't want Hizbullah to win."

On Lebanese civilian casualties, Peres said Israel had made a 100 percent effort to avoid hurting Lebanese civilians. He said Hizbullah, in violation of international law, "used human shelters to hide their arms."

Despite his optimism regarding the kidnapped soldiers, the deputy prime minister was dubious as to whether US civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson could succeed as an intermediary between Israel and Syria to arrange an exchange of prisoners with Hizbullah.

"You need two parts that want peace; unfortunately there is only one," he said.

Peres, who met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday, said, "Americans believe the battle now is over the future of Lebanon - an Iranian Lebanon or a Lebanese Lebanon. They believe, like us, Lebanon must not be handed to Hizbullah."

Peres said Hizbullah gets $100 million (€78.1 million) a year from Iran as well as training from Iranians on Lebanese territory.

[garbageseeker]

A senior Hamas official said Aug. 15 that kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit will be released only in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. The announcement came after a meeting between Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas and PNA Prime Minsister Ismail Haniyeh, in which Abbas urged the immediate release of Shalit.

[Chena]

I only know one thing for a fact, and that is that the "blame game" will not get these soldiers home. I wish I could be an expert armchair General, but Lord knows there's plenty of those here and elsewhere who are just SURE they'd know exactly what to do in this situation that would guarantee positive results.

I would assume that since, "Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Wednesday that "to the best of my information," the two IDF soldiers abducted by Hizbullah "are alive and they are healthy.", he must have information that we are not privvy to. I pray there are things going on that we don't know about that will bring these soldiers home safely. God bless those who don't tell us everything, and for putting up with our negative comments while they try their darndest to accomplish their mission.

[garbageseeker]

I pray there are things going on that we don't know about that will bring these soldiers home safely.

There are a lot of back channel negotiation that is currently going on. This is in the hands of the diplomats and we must let them do their jobs. The soldiers taken by Hezbollah and Hamas will come back. In the case of Corporal Shalit, we know that he is alive because all the signs indicate that he is still alive. We must pray to God to protect the soldiers to return home safely and their families who are going through an emotional hell.

[garbageseeker]

wish I could be an expert armchair General, but Lord knows there's plenty of those here and elsewhere who are just SURE they'd know exactly what to do in this situation that would guarantee positive results

There is nothing you can do about "armchair generals". They are all over the place. I consider myself an "armchair general" but I don't know what I would do in this situation. This type of situation is the purview of the diplomats not the warriors.

[Chena]

There are a lot of back channel negotiation that is currently going on. This is in the hands of the diplomats and we must let them do their jobs. The soldiers taken by Hezbollah and Hamas will come back. In the case of Corporal Shalit, we know that he is alive because all the signs indicate that he is still alive. We must pray to God to protect the soldiers to return home safely and their families who are going through an emotional hell.

Amen, garbageseeker. I was a soldier's mom and know the hell we'd be going through if this had happened to our son. God bless Israel, their children and their military men and women.

[garbageseeker]

The people who we should be praying for are the soldiers safe return ,that God protect their families, all the men and women of the IDF and the citizens of Israel.

[garbageseeker]

And the politicians who are negotiating the release of the soldiers.

[Chena]

There is nothing you can do about "armchair generals". They are all over the place. I consider myself an "armchair general" but I don't know what I would do in this situation. This type of situation is the purview of the diplomats not the warriors.

Oh, I don't mind people trying to come up with ideas and solutions (armchair generals), it's sort of like playing detective. My hackles only rise when some get all high 'n mighty...as if they think they have all the sure-fired answers and if we'd only listen to them, all would be hunkey-dorey. I feel as though there are too many who haven't given our President, and even Olmert, the credit we'd give a kindergartener's first piece of artwork. I truly believe that there is far more going on behind the scenes, and I will keep the faith that they, and those people who give them counsel, have a plan and know what they're doing.

[Chena]

They're ALL in my prayers.

[Centurion2000]

Two big questions

Is there a proof of life ...
WHERE ARE THEY ?
WHY are they not in Israel right now?

[garbageseeker]

My hackles only rise when some get all high 'n mighty...as if they think they have all the sure-fired answers and if we'd only listen to them, all would be hunkey-dorey. I feel as though there are too many who haven't given our President, and even Olmert, the credit we'd give a kindergartener's first piece of artwork.

I am guilty of being apart of this group. Olmert was in a very difficult position. He was fighting the battle on three fronts: the actual battle,the battle on the homefront,and the battle of world opinion. He did a wonderful job holding together the "homefront" and managing world opinion. IMHO,there are lot of people felt that he was holding back on the battlefront and I am one of these people. He is controlling one the mightiest war machine in the world and he was not unleashing the full fury of the Israeli military on the enemy. Many people in his own party, in the Knesset and many Israeli citizens feel the the same way. Soon, there is elections and the people will ultimately decide whether Olmert did a good job. And they are going to decide whether he did a good job through the ballot box. The elections is truly a referendum on how he prosecuted the war effort. But I feel if the election were held today, Netanyahu would be Prime Minister. I think that he would be the appropriate PM in this time especially when you have an enemy still not totally defeated. But this is just my opinion. POTUS did a great job on the diplomatic front especially the mounting of world opinion against Israel. Now, we need to pray for the soldiers who are still hostages and their families.

[garbageseeker]

Good Questions. Again, we need to the diplomats do their job. Shimon Peres gave us a good indication that they are still alive and I bet they have a good idea the know where they are.

[garbageseeker]

Just keep praying for the saftey of the soldiers and the soldier's families.

[Berosus]

Can we really trust anything that Peres has to say? He was behind the failed Oslo accords, and as a member of Sharon's cabinet, had some say in the Gaza pullout. Heck, his last name means "division" in Hebrew. Sometimes I wonder if he's even Jewish, with a track record like that.

[dervish]

Jimmy Carter holds that title