Although the UN has finally agreed to give Israel a videocassette of the area of the kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers, it is still not clear when this will actually happen, nor what the cassette will show. The three soldiers were kidnapped by Hizbullah into Lebanon along the northern border eight months ago. Oslo godfather Terje Larsen, the UN envoy to the Middle East, set off for New York last night after promising the father of one of the kidnapped soldiers that he would do what he could to find the video cassette and bring it to the families. The UN plans first to blur the faces of the Hizbullah terrorists who appear in the film, in order to \"maintain neutrality.\" Israeli officials reject this explanation out-of-hand.
Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dore Gold said today that UNIFIL soldiers are engaged first and foremost in protecting themselves, rather than in carrying out their mission of ensuring peace and quiet, and that for this reason they should not be invited to \"keep the peace\" in Judea and Samaria. Former Israeli security sources say that the UN has additional information on the kidnapping that it has not given Israel.
In the meantime, however, suspicion against the UN\'s functioning regarding the abduction has gone beyond merely not giving Israel a tape. O.C. Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi said today that it is possible that three soldiers of the Indian delegation to the UNIFIL force actually cooperated with the Hizbullah terrorists. There are indications, according to Israeli sources, that the UNIFIL force knew in advance of the kidnapping but did nothing. These accusations were strengthened by Amar Souad, a brother of one of the abducted soldiers, who said that the UNIFIL-Indian soldiers \"took an active role in the kidnapping of the soldiers.\" In addition, parents of the Hizbullah-held soldiers believe that it is very likely that the UN has another cassette that can shed light on the circumstances of the kidnapping and/or the present condition of the boys.
Yaakov Avitan, whose son Adi is one of the three kidnapped soldiers, told Arutz-7 today that the uncertainty surrounding the entire matter is very difficult for his family. However, he added, \"we are happy that the story is again in the headlines. It\'s very important that the world be aware of this story, and certainly that the Israeli public be kept aware.\" Regarding the still pictures they have received, purportedly of their sons, he said, \"We\'re not at all sure if they are genuine; they are so unclear that it is totally impossible to know...\" Despite this, the wife of one of the soldiers, Omar Souad, said that she is sure she identified him in a picture of a hospital room. Avitan said that he\'s convinced that the UN knows exactly what happened during the kidnapping, and that there may even be a video of the kidnapping itself: \"It\'s impossible that the UN soldiers did not see the kidnapping. They were stationed only 200 meters away from the site, and at a height of 100 meters. How could they not have seen?\"
Yoram Aridor, a former Israeli Ambassador to UN in the early 90\'s, was asked by Arutz-7\'s Ariel Kahane today if this puts to rest any doubts anyone may have had about the objectivity of the United Nations. His response:
\"I\'m not sure why anyone may have ever thought that the UN would be objective, since it makes anti-Israel decisions every year, it negates our rights to Jerusalem and our rights to parts of Eretz Yisrael, and here we see how the UN observers in the north take a clearly anti-Israel stance... In general, I see the UN as the second most anti-Semitic body in the world, after the Palestinian National Council… It does some humanitarian acts once in a while, but only when these do not clash with the interests of the Arab countries. When there is such a clash, the UN stops being objective. I remember before the Six Day War when the UN forces were in Gaza, the UN evacuated the area at Nasser\'s demand precisely when we needed them most...\"
Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN Dore Gold said today that UNIFIL soldiers are engaged first and foremost in protecting themselves, rather than in carrying out their mission of ensuring peace and quiet, and that for this reason they should not be invited to \"keep the peace\" in Judea and Samaria. Former Israeli security sources say that the UN has additional information on the kidnapping that it has not given Israel.
In the meantime, however, suspicion against the UN\'s functioning regarding the abduction has gone beyond merely not giving Israel a tape. O.C. Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi said today that it is possible that three soldiers of the Indian delegation to the UNIFIL force actually cooperated with the Hizbullah terrorists. There are indications, according to Israeli sources, that the UNIFIL force knew in advance of the kidnapping but did nothing. These accusations were strengthened by Amar Souad, a brother of one of the abducted soldiers, who said that the UNIFIL-Indian soldiers \"took an active role in the kidnapping of the soldiers.\" In addition, parents of the Hizbullah-held soldiers believe that it is very likely that the UN has another cassette that can shed light on the circumstances of the kidnapping and/or the present condition of the boys.
Yaakov Avitan, whose son Adi is one of the three kidnapped soldiers, told Arutz-7 today that the uncertainty surrounding the entire matter is very difficult for his family. However, he added, \"we are happy that the story is again in the headlines. It\'s very important that the world be aware of this story, and certainly that the Israeli public be kept aware.\" Regarding the still pictures they have received, purportedly of their sons, he said, \"We\'re not at all sure if they are genuine; they are so unclear that it is totally impossible to know...\" Despite this, the wife of one of the soldiers, Omar Souad, said that she is sure she identified him in a picture of a hospital room. Avitan said that he\'s convinced that the UN knows exactly what happened during the kidnapping, and that there may even be a video of the kidnapping itself: \"It\'s impossible that the UN soldiers did not see the kidnapping. They were stationed only 200 meters away from the site, and at a height of 100 meters. How could they not have seen?\"
Yoram Aridor, a former Israeli Ambassador to UN in the early 90\'s, was asked by Arutz-7\'s Ariel Kahane today if this puts to rest any doubts anyone may have had about the objectivity of the United Nations. His response:
\"I\'m not sure why anyone may have ever thought that the UN would be objective, since it makes anti-Israel decisions every year, it negates our rights to Jerusalem and our rights to parts of Eretz Yisrael, and here we see how the UN observers in the north take a clearly anti-Israel stance... In general, I see the UN as the second most anti-Semitic body in the world, after the Palestinian National Council… It does some humanitarian acts once in a while, but only when these do not clash with the interests of the Arab countries. When there is such a clash, the UN stops being objective. I remember before the Six Day War when the UN forces were in Gaza, the UN evacuated the area at Nasser\'s demand precisely when we needed them most...\"