Arabs Holding 4 More Prisoners, Israeli Asserts
A top Israeli official involved in the swap of 1,150 Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners for three Israeli soldiers said Wednesday that Israel has information that four more soldiers are still alive and being held by Syria or Palestinian guerrillas.
Former Justice Minister Shmuel Tamir made the remark to reporters and added that Israel will “do everything” to gain their release.
“We are convinced that the Syrians know exactly what the fate is of the four. We have information that the four are alive and are being held captive by Syria or by terrorists,” Tamir said. He disclosed no further details.
Three of the soldiers, identified as Zecharia Baumel, Yehuda Katz and Zwi Feldmann, disappeared after a tank battle with Syrian units in June, 1982, in eastern Lebanon, soon after the Israeli invasion.
The fourth, Samir Assad, a Druze in the Israeli army, has been missing since 1983. His family in the north Israeli town of Bethyadshan claims to have heard his voice in a Damascus propaganda broadcast recently.
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