euro|topics - Exchange of prisoners in the Middle East

Main focus of Thursday, July 17, 2008

Exchange of prisoners in the Middle East

Israel and the Lebanese Schiite organisation Hezbollah have negotiated an exchange of prisoners. The bodies of two Israeli soliders whose kidnapping two years ago triggered a war between the two states were exchanged for the mortal remains of 200 Lebanese. In addition five Hezbollah fighters, including the terrorist Samir Kuntar, were released. The European press discusses the consequences for the crisis-torn region.

Tagesanzeiger - Switzerland

When live terrorists are exchanged for dead soldiers then Hezbollah is clearly on the winning side, writes the daily Tagesanzeiger: "Under pressure from the soldiers' families, the public and the weight of its own failure, the Israeli government of Ehud Olmert agreed to the exchange. It will gain little for itself from the deal, however. For it is all too obvious that the other side, which is able to welcome even a common criminal as a hero, is the main beneficiary. ...The Olmert government ... will not be able to score any political mileage beyond today. Indeed, it must ask itself why it does not agree to the same kind of deal with Hamas prisoners in order to obtain the release of the [Israeli soldier] Gilad Shalit. Hamas may even be tempted to exact an higher price, because both sides are operating in a market where prisoners are not the subject of legal proceedings but simply commodities to be exchanged." (16/07/2008)

La Razón - Spain

"The terrorist organisation Hezbollah yesterday scored a major propaganda victory by exchanging the bodies of two Israeli soldiers for one of its bloodiest leaders", the Spanish daily La Razón lamented following the exchange of prisoners between Israel and Lebanon. "This propaganda victory is not good news, either for peace in the Middle East or for the sufferings of Lebanon, or indeed for the Spanish troops stationed there." (17/07/2008)

La Repubblica - Italy

The Italian daily La Repubblica sees a positive side to the deal between Israel and Hezbollah: "The rejoicing of Hezbollah is justified; it was with them and not with the government in Lebanon that the exchange of prisoners was negotiated. On the one hand this is a bad sign because it highlights the weakness of the state, but on the other it is a good sign because it indicates willingness to conduct dialogue. This diplomatic turn of events defuses the threat of a new civil war and brings Syria back into play. Nicolas Sarkozy can congratulate himself on having achieved this. ... Even the West's government headquarters, which insist on calling the Shi'ites terrorists, have expressed relief at the inclusion of Hezbollah in the government. ... This is a step toward stabilisation that even Israel, which is ... paying a high price, welcomes." (17/07/2008)

The Independent - United Kingdom

The daily The Independent hopes that the exchange of prisoners between Israel and Lebanon means a new beginning for the region: "The macabre exchange that took place yesterday on the border between Israel and Lebanon is being widely presented as the final chapter in the ill-fated war of two years ago. And in many ways it is. Some might also see in yesterday's solemn ceremony a symmetry that was not inappropriate. The prisoner exchange looked as unbalanced as the war itself, which cost the lives of 157 Israelis and more than 1,200 Lebanese. ...Yet crude body counts are deceptive. Israel has always set an exceptionally high value on its captured citizens, which is a reason why Israeli prisoners are so prized as bargaining chips by its adversaries. ... Yesterday's prisoner exchange not only ends a lamentable chapter, but could – we hope – mark the beginning of something new and better." (17/07/2008)

» To the complete press review of Thursday, July 17, 2008

Bookmark this page at