Copyright 2001 Jerusalem Post
Jerusalem Post
November 8, 2001
HEADLINE: Ben-Eliezer: Information on missing soldiers was reliable
BYLINE: Arieh O'Sullivan
The crucial intelligence the government received
that led the IDF to finally rule the three soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah
last year are dead came from a very reliable witness, Defense Minister
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said yesterday.
"Throughout the year, we did not hide information from the families. When
the intelligence came that left us no doubt that the three boys were dead,
we told them about it," Ben-Eliezer said. "I think that it is our duty to
convey the information regarding this difficult piece of information
someone witnessed."
Asked in an interview with Army Radio if the witness saw three bodies,
Ben-Eliezer said: "You are pushing me to where I don't want to go. The
prime minister and defense minister wouldn't have made such a difficult
decision if it was not based on solid information. We are continuing our
negotiations to return the bodies. The intelligence in our hands is from
reliable sources."
Ben-Eliezer's statements were the most revealing the defense establishment
has made regarding the proof that made it declare last week that St.-Sgt.
Binyamin Avraham, Sgt. Adi Avitan, and St.-Sgt. Omar Suwayed were killed
during their abduction.
The IDF has refrained from detailing the proof to protect its sources.
Last night, Ben-Eliezer's office issued a clarification, saying he was
speaking in principle and not referring to any concrete information.
"In the minister's comments, there was no reference at all to concrete
information, but rather he was giving an example of the type of
information needed to make a decision of such importance," the statement
said. "Viewing this in any other way would be twisting his comments."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the families of the three
soldiers during a condolence visit yesterday revealing any information
about how the decision regarding their fate was made would harm national
security and the sources from which the information was received.
The families asked that the government do all it can to bring their bodies
back for burial.
Sharon told the families he had asked UN and international officials to
make Syria's joining the Security Council conditional on providing
information on the condition of the soldiers, but to no avail.
"Syria is responsible for what is going on in Lebanon... we will do all we
can to continue efforts to return the soldiers for burial," he told the
families.