Mr. Rabin said that Israel did not consult any nation prior to abducting Sheikh Obeid. While its long-standing policy was not to negotiate with terrorist organizations, after careful examination of the situation, "we are willing to enter into negotiations in order to exchange our captives, prisoners and hostages for captives, prisoners and hostages held by us. " He was fully aware that other countries acted differently, but this was Israel's policy on the matter. Mr. Rabin reiterated Israel's offer to exchange all the Shiites it was holding in return for 18 Western hostages being held by Hezbollah. He fell the need to elaborate on the murderous nature of this organization and the crimes that it had committed since 1985 against Israelis and citizens of other nations. Excerpts:
The aim of the IDF action in southern Lebanon was solely to bring home our sons, IDF soldiers being held captive and missing in action. This, by acquiring an asset considered important by the terrorist organization for the purpose of carrying out an exchange. The action was perpetrated with the authority of the Israel Government, and the government alone is responsible for it. We did not involve any other country before the action, not even with regard to information concerning it. Within the framework of the comprehensive policy of the war against all forms of terrorism and all its organizations, there are guidelines which direct us on how to act when Israelis are taken hostage by various elements, including by the different terrorist organizations. These guidelines of action are based on two possibilities. The first, preferred one - if there is such a thing - is to rescue the captives militarily. We employed this manner of action in the operation to rescue the hostages in Entebbe, in 1976. But if no military possibility turns up, after a prolonged examination of every possibility of carrying it out, we are willing to enter into negotiations in order to exchange our captives, prisoners and hostages for captives, prisoners and hostages held by us. This is the policy.
We have implemented this policy on several occasions in the past. We paid a high price for it, one which illustrated to Israelis and to the world the supreme importance which we in Israel attach to the lives of every soldier and every Israeli who falls into enemy captivity or is kidnapped for being a Jew and/or an Israeli. In order to attain this goal vis-a-vis the terrorist organizations in Lebanon, we must be in the possession of important commanders and leaders from the terrorist organizations, because we will be able to get the terrorist elements in Lebanon to carry out the exchange only when we hold these figures. I would like to reemphasize that the IDF, from its inception to this very day, preserves an ironclad rule which we intend to continue maintaining, according to which we do not abandon IDF soldiers and members of the other security forces. We have no intention of harming this rule, and it is one of the secrets of our strength in the face of those who rise against us. Every Israeli soldier who leaves for any mission as an emissary of the State of Israel, knows - and must know in the future - that the IDF and the entire state will not spare any effort to rescue him from trouble. Many good IDF soldiers paid with their lives for the sanctity of this rule. As defense minister, as someone who served as an army man for 27 years, I am convinced from the depths of my heart that a soldier who departs for operational activity while endangering his life is strengthened and encouraged by the knowledge that he has support, and that everything will be done in order to bring him safely home. Esprit de corps, that which is formed in the battlefield, is the pillar of fire which leads the camp. Esprit de corps is what grants the IDF its quality and moral advantage over other armies. I am aware that there are nations which act differently. Every country chooses its path. We have been proud that Israel views its soldiers as those who should be thoroughly taken care of, and who should be brought home safely.
On 17 February 1986, two IDF soldiers were captured by terrorists belonging to the Shiite terrorist organization Hizballah in southern Lebanon. The two soldiers, Yosef Fink and Rahamim Alsheikh, were captured in southern Lebanon and were brought to an unknown hiding place in Lebanon. Since the day they fell into captivity, all our offers for a prisoner exchange - made through the Red Cross, as well as through countries and various international elements - have been rejected. The elements have prevented us from receiving any information on the soldiers' fate. We were not given any sign that they were alive since they were captured by Hizballah. We view Hizballah as responsible for their health and well being. On 16 October 1986, Phantom plane navigator Ron Arad was captured by Amal. This occurred when he participated in an attack on outposts in the Sidon region. In the initial period, we had reliable reports concerning his fate, and we made a most intensive effort to exchange him for Lebanese terrorists held by us. The Red Cross, international elements and countries, whose leaders wanted to help us, took part in this activity as well. After some time, contact was lost, and for the past two years we have known practically nothing on the fate of Ron Arad. We continue to view Amal as responsible for the fate, health and life of Ron Arad.
Over the years, we have made extraordinary efforts to bring about the release of our captives being held by the terrorists. Even now, I cannot reveal the details of these efforts, which have encompassed almost the entire world. Unfortunately, however, these efforts have not yet brought success. None of the appeals have helped. Therefore, the Israel Government decided to entrust the IDF with the capture of the Hizballah leader in southern Lebanon so that we could be in possession of an important asset in order to carry out a prisoner exchange. Since 1983, in his capacity as the senior Hizballah figure responsible for the southern area, Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid was a central figure in this terrorist organization in everything connected with attacks against Israel, and in preaching and inciting to this end. Sheikh Obeid has been involved in hostile terrorist activity via the distribution of funds, the transfer of combat material, participation in planning to provide a hiding place for those perpetrating attacks, and, more importantly, also in the approving of almost every impressive attack carried out by Hizballah in southern Lebanon in the past few years. The sheikh was connected with, inter alia, the kidnapping of the two IDF soldiers in February 1986. According to his own confession, as well, those who planned the abduction sat in his home and left his home to perpetrate the kidnapping of the two soldiers in February 1986. He was involved in the kidnapping of U.S. Lieut. Col. William Higgins, who belonged to UNTSO [the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East]. According to his own confession, as well, the three kidnappers of the colonel sat in [Obeid's] home a day before the kidnapping was carried out; at least one of them returned to his home. According to his own confession, the car with which the kidnapping was carried out was concealed in the garage of his home for a month.
The sheikh is suspected of direct involvement in assembling car bombs, and of HizbaRah attacks involving the launching of Katyusha rockets, during the period in which his approval was required to carry out these attacks. In addition, we have grounds to assume that he had a hand in the action carried out by Hizballah in March 1995, in which a car bomb was detonated at Egel gate [near Metulla], killing 12 and wounding 20 members of our forces. As stated, the IDF action in the village of Jibchit was carried out with great success. The sheikh and two of his escorts were brought to Israeli territory.
On this occasion, from this rostrum, I wish to congratulate the chief of staff, IDF commanders, the soldiers and commanders of the unit that carried out the action, on the manner in which they executed the mission. During the stages of planning and approval of the action to apprehend the sheikh, we took into consideration all the possible reactions by Hizballah. I will not elaborate on them here. In an analysis of the possibilities, we foresaw all of them, including that which occurred, and even graver than this. Furthermore, the Inner Cabinet approved the action about two months ago. It was to be executed a month ago. I asked the Inner Cabinet for a postponement when a spark of a chance arose for a dialogue. Only when it died out and disappeared did I reiterate my request for approval [of the action] for a month later than what was originally approved. I am saying this in order to clarify how much judgment and how much of an examination of additional possibilities were involved before we carried out the action. This is not the first time in which Hizballah has harmed innocent people. In 1985-86, Hizballah executed eight Jewish residents of Beirut, whose bodies were thrown into the street after its demand that we carry out an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon was not complied with. The hands of this organization are stained with the blood of innocent Jews and non-Jews who found themselves in- the Lebanese inferno. This organization is responsible, inter alia, for the death of more than 300 Americans, as well as Frenchmen who died in the detonation of car bombs in Lebanon. There is no act of bloodshed which this organization is capable of perpetrating, and has not perpetrated. The most despicable deeds, the fruit of the sickest imagination, were carried out by this gang of fanatics, which draws its inspiration from Khomeini's Iran. They are capable of everything. Indeed, after the action, they threatened to execute Lieut. Col. William Higgins, an American citizen who came on a mission of peace and fell into the captivity of the Hizballah fanatics.
In addition to Israel's known, declared policy on the willingness for an exchange of our captives and MIAs - when Lebanon, Shiite organizations and Shiite terrorists are in question - I saw fit to propose inclusive exchanges, where in addition to the Israeli captives, western hostages would also be included in an exchange for Shi'ite prisoners and captives held by us. Indeed, I issued the following statement with the authority of the government, and I quote: 'Israel reiterates its call for the release of the Israeli POWs and the other hostages held by the Shiite organizations in Lebanon; Israel proposes the exchange of POWs, prisoners and hostages. In accordance with this proposal, all Shiite prisoners held by Israel, including Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid, Jawad Kaspi and others will be exchanged for all the Israeli POWs and the foreign hostages held by the ShAte organizations; the exchange will be carried out through the International Committee of the Red Cross in accordance with the usual procedure in such cases.
I want to remind the Knesset that there are still 18 western hostages being held by Hizballah. Therefore, this proposal remains valid today as well. I will add that the Red Cross approached us on Friday and asked to see the sheikh. We informed it that we will agree to the visit on the basis of reciprocity: That the Red Cross be permitted to visit our POWs and MlAs. We stand behind this announcement.