The government will not debate the much-touted prisoner-exchange deal - hundreds of terrorists to Hizbullah in exchange for Elchanan Tenenbaum and three dead soldiers - in tomorrow's Cabinet meeting. It turns out that the deal does not have the support of the majority of the ministers. The official reason for the postponement of the discussion is to allow Israel to "review the seriousness of Hizbullah's intentions." Some Likud and Shinui ministers announced that they are likely to vote against the deal if it does not include missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad or information about him, and/or if it includes the release of hundreds of terrorists.
In the meantime, the family of Ron Arad continues its efforts to prevent the release of at least one of those terrorists - Mustafa Dirani. After Arad was captured in Lebanon in 1986, Dirani was the one who drove him around in the trunk of his car in torturous conditions, in an attempt to sell him to the highest bidder. Dirani finally sold him to an Iranian group, but was himself later captured by Israel in a daring raid into Lebanon, and has been held as a bargaining chip for Arad's release ever since.
In response to the Arad family's appeal to see the Winograd Commission report - which finds that there is no evidence to support the conclusion that Ron Arad is no longer alive - Prime Minister Sharon said he would in fact submit it for their perusal, minus selected passages that must be censored. A court hearing on this matter, if necessary, will be held on October 9.
The Arad family has also asked for a restraining order against the prisoner exchange itself; no decision has yet been handed down.
The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which convened today, called upon Prime Minister Sharon not to reach a final decision on the exchange of prisoners until such time as the committee members are able to review it.