Iranian television broadcast images of the Arab captives - Nabil George Ya'akub Razuk, a jeweler aged 30, and Ahmed Yasin Tikati, 33 – along with pictures of their Israeli driver's licenses and HMO cards. The Foreign Ministry confirmed the report.
The terrorists, calling themselves "Ansar A-Din", claimed that Razuk and Tikati are "agents" of Israel and they are demanding that US forces release Iraqi prisoners, mostly women, in exchange for the captives. Video footage released by the kidnappers showed the two men "confessing" to working for Israel.
Government officials stated that Razuk and Tikati were not dispatched to Iraq in any government capacity. Furthermore, officials clarified, Razuk and Tikati do not hold Israeli citizenship.
Samir, a Jerusalem resident and an uncle of Nabil Razuk, told Israel Television that his nephew is an employee of US AID, a humanitarian organization, who departed for Iraq approximately 2-3 months ago. US AID officials were as yet unable to confirm or deny the information.
Family members of the Arab hostages have turned to PLO leader Yasser Arafat to intercede on behalf of their loved ones in the hope of obtaining their release. There is no information at this time regarding Arafat's reply.
Of the other 13 captives held by the Iraqi terrorists, one South Korean managed to escape from his captors and seven other South Korean missionaries were released. In addition to the two Jerusalem Arabs, the hostages include three Japanese nationals, a Canadian and a Briton.
The Arabic satellite news channel Al-Jazeera showed the Iraqi terrorists holding knives to the throats of the three Japanese hostages. According to the station, the video came from a group calling itself "Mujahedin Brigades", with a written demand to withdraw Japanese troops from Iraq within three days, or else the hostages would be burned alive.
Japan demanded the release of its citizens and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi replied to the terrorists' demands with a terse, "No."
שלום רב. זה מבחן לעברית.
וחוץ מזה, הנה עוד שורה.
The terrorists, calling themselves "Ansar A-Din", claimed that Razuk and Tikati are "agents" of Israel and they are demanding that US forces release Iraqi prisoners, mostly women, in exchange for the captives. Video footage released by the kidnappers showed the two men "confessing" to working for Israel.
Government officials stated that Razuk and Tikati were not dispatched to Iraq in any government capacity. Furthermore, officials clarified, Razuk and Tikati do not hold Israeli citizenship.
Samir, a Jerusalem resident and an uncle of Nabil Razuk, told Israel Television that his nephew is an employee of US AID, a humanitarian organization, who departed for Iraq approximately 2-3 months ago. US AID officials were as yet unable to confirm or deny the information.
Family members of the Arab hostages have turned to PLO leader Yasser Arafat to intercede on behalf of their loved ones in the hope of obtaining their release. There is no information at this time regarding Arafat's reply.
Of the other 13 captives held by the Iraqi terrorists, one South Korean managed to escape from his captors and seven other South Korean missionaries were released. In addition to the two Jerusalem Arabs, the hostages include three Japanese nationals, a Canadian and a Briton.
The Arabic satellite news channel Al-Jazeera showed the Iraqi terrorists holding knives to the throats of the three Japanese hostages. According to the station, the video came from a group calling itself "Mujahedin Brigades", with a written demand to withdraw Japanese troops from Iraq within three days, or else the hostages would be burned alive.
Japan demanded the release of its citizens and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi replied to the terrorists' demands with a terse, "No."
שלום רב. זה מבחן לעברית.
וחוץ מזה, הנה עוד שורה.