Copyright 2001 Jerusalem Post
Jerusalem Post
October 30, 2001
HEADLINE: IDF: Kidnapped Soldiers Probably Dead
BYLINE: Arieh O'Sullivan
JERUSALEM (October 30) - In a dramatic statement, the IDF announced last
night that the three soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah on Mount Dov a year
ago are most probably dead, thus culminating a year of agony for the
families and toil for the defense establishment.
The IDF said it now believes that St.-Sgts. Benny Avraham and Omar Suwayed
and Sgt. Adi Avitan were mortally wounded when their command car was
attacked with mines and gunfire while on patrol on October 7, 2000.
There had been speculation from the very beginning that they did not
survive the attack. But the defense establishment had until last night
stuck firmly to its position that they were considered alive until proven
otherwise.
That proof came a few days ago, said OC Manpower Maj.-Gen. Gil Regev.
"According to the assessment of intelligence in our hands, there is a very
high probability that the [soldiers] are dead," Regev said.
He said they either died during the attack or shortly afterward.
The Hizbullah said yesterday that the announcement was aimed at forcing it
to respond so that Israel could receive information on the missing
soldiers. Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the "Zionists" were
wasting time and playing with the feelings of the families of the missing
soldiers but that in the end, they would be forced to pay the humanitarian
price demanded of them.
Regev said this was an updated assessment based on "credible" intelligence
information from various sources received "a few days ago."
Regev said the final decision on the condition of the soldiers was up to
the OC Chaplaincy Corps Brig.-Gen. Yisrael Weiss, who would make his
ruling in a few days. Because one of the soldiers is a Muslim, he will
consult with Muslim clerics.
Regev said that his announcement would not change Israel's determination
to bring their bodies home. However, he refused to discuss any details or
the origin of the new intelligence nor the state of negotiations.
The parents raised concerns that the announcement would put the issue on
the back burner and efforts to retrieve them would founder. Regev assured
them it would not.
"People are asking what happened," said Regev, who wore a pin symbolizing
the missing servicemen. "The probability was greatly altered, and our
basic assumption was changed. Until today, we believed they were alive.
From now on, our position is that they are dead."
The IDF said it had never kept information from the families. Regev said
he called the news conference for last night to stop rumors that quickly
spread across the country yesterday afternoon. Some of those rumors said
that body parts had been brought here and that a prisoner exchange was in
the works. Regev categorically denied this.
He said that the latest piece of intelligence had been in the IDF's hands
for a few days, but it waited to reveal it to the families until it could
be cross-checked and verified.
Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz was presented with the new
information and the updated assessment, and informed Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer of the facts. He then
instructed that the families be notified.
While refusing to divulge the character of the new intelligence, Regev did
deny that it was something physical, like a body part or photograph.
"It is information, very sensitive and classified, and very credible," he
said.
Regev also warned against possible attempts by Hizbullah to refute the
IDF's new position.
"We presume that [Hizbullah] will contradict what we are saying now and
will perhaps try to support its claims with all sorts of deceptive photos
or other things," Regev said. "But we will remain firm in our position."
Hizbullah has honed its use of psychological warfare tactics. Its leader,
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, has in the past turned to the parents of the
three kidnapped soldiers, saying they should be aware that Israel had done
nothing to secure their release.
Nasrallah has also maintained the soldiers were well, despite the
bloodstains found at the scene of the kidnapping.