The family of Ron Arad has filed a 100-million shekel suit in the Tel Aviv District Court against Mustafa Dirani - the man most responsible for the disappearance of the Israel Air Force navigator.
If the suit is accepted, it will prevent the release of Dirani in the terrorists-for-Tenenbaum deal between that is currently being woven between Israel and Hizbullah. The exchange is said to involve an unspecified number of Arab terrorists and prisoners being held in Israel - some reports say that it will be between 300 and 400 - in return for abducted Israeli businessman Elchanan Tenenbaum and the bodies of three IDF soldiers. The three were killed by Hizbullah terrorists three years ago, shortly before Hizbullah kidnapped Tenenbaum.
The Arad family claims that the two main Arabs to be released in the deal - Dirani and Sheikh Obeid - were abducted specifically to render them collateral for Arad. Israeli commandos kidnapped the two of them, in dangerous missions, in order to obtain either information on Arad - or Arad himself. One family member said today, "If Dirani is so important for the deal, then let him produce the information on the whereabouts of Ron Arad."
Dirani actually sold the captured navigator to the Iranians, driving around Lebanon and Iran with Arad in his trunk. The family claims that Dirani's actions caused them immeasurable grief and harm, and led to the loss of Arad's tracks somewhere in Iran. "The money is not the point," Ron's brother Chen (pronounced with a guttural "ch") said, "but at this point this is the only weapon we have. We are at war against Dirani's release, and this is just the first step." The family of Elchanan Tenenbaum did not comment publicly on this news.
Dirani himself has sued Israel for damages of over six million shekels to which, he claims, his abduction nine years ago entitles him.
Chief Hizbullah terrorist Sheikh Nasrallah said publicly this week that he would "make all efforts" to obtain information on Ron Arad. Israel, however, is apparently not banking on this, and is willing to make the deal even before the information is obtained. Tenenbaum, who was abducted by Hizbullah almost three years ago, is not in good health, though his life is not endangered if he receives proper medical treatment.
The suit states, "The family was caused damage because of the inhumane and repulsive actions and omissions that Dirani perpetrated on Ron Arad during a long period in which he was under his exclusive and absolute control." These actions included, according to the suit, imprisonment, neglect, deprivation of air and food, and more.
Prime Minister Sharon met with the Arad family ten days ago, and explained to them the "ethical dilemma" that he is likely to face very soon if the terrorists-for-Tenenbaum deal goes through.
Yonah Baumel, whose son Zechariah and two other soldiers have not been heard from since they were captured in the Peace for Galilee War of 1982, also has something against the deal in-the-works, in light of reports that Israel will release Syrian prisoners in the exchange. "Syria has always been assumed to be in possession of information on our sons," he told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson, "so how is it that that information is not included in the deal?"
Supporters of Jonathan Pollard demand that he, too, be released as part of the upcoming deal.
"America would not refuse that demand," writes one supporter, "if that one requirement threatened to torpedo the entire prisoner swap. Israel should demand Pollard's release as part of the deal. It would allow America to get rid of Pollard, a political albatross, in a way that seems magnanimous."