In Lebanon, Hezbollah uses the swap to argue that the war had a positive outcome. (Haaretz)
Uzi Benziman argues that a specific set of “procedures … to guide future Israeli governments in dealing with situations of Israelis being kidnapped by enemies of the state� cannot be of as much value as “an overall policy that will remove, or at least reduce, the rationale for carrying out kidnappings.� Amir Mizroch reviews the overall arguments made by advocates of the trade. (Jerusalem Post)
The case, in international law, Jewish law, and Israeli strategic considerations, against the trade. (Jerusalem Post)
David B. Rivkin, Jr., and Karl R. Moor argue that the Hezbollah trade “constitutes not only … damage to Israel’s credibility … another humiliation for Israel and a victory for the forces of terrorism, but also a disturbing triumph of sentiment over sense and strategy in Israel’s political culture.(Haaretz)
A look at exaltation in the Arab world over the release of the prisoners. (Israel National News)
The deal involved releasing the terrorist Samir Kuntar, and TI’s Michael B. Kraft gives us historical background on how “Kuntar inadvertently helped strengthen the international counter-terrorism effort�. (Washington Times)
And Michael’s daughter Dina Kraft reports (“Prisoner Deal Reopens an Israeli Woundâ€?) from Nahariya, Israel, on two families, the Harans — victims of Kuntar — and the Goldwassers, whose body is being returned. (NY Times)
