Saturday, April 22, 2006

Twenty Eight, and Counting


Samir Kuntar is the longest serving Lebanese prisoner in Israeli prisons. He’s been there for twenty eight years. On this day, As-Safir published an article by Samir.

You can also check this site: www.samirkuntar.org.


"Any nation that thinks more of its ease and comfort than its freedom will soon lose its freedom; and the ironical thing about it is that it will lose its ease and comfort too."
W. Somerset Maugham

33 comments:

Moussa Bashir said...

A good one Hassan.

AbdulKarim said...

I read the article and I was impressed by Kantar's resilience. However, i must admit that i was also surprised to know that he was allowed to study and obtain a degree. This makes me wonder: if we had an Israeli prisoner, would we have allowed him to study in one of our universities?

Anonymous said...

Yeah considering that this guy killed an innocent man, his four year old daughter, and caused his other two year old daughter to suffocate while hiding as Quntar killed her fater and sister.

Anonymous said...

Another 28 years and I still wouldn't care. He's a murderer. As with all that is bad with Lebanon, this guy killed for a fight that isn't even ours.

Raja said...

Hassan,

I think you should have explained why Samir Quntar is in jail. I for one, thought that he was kidnapped by Israeli paratroopers in Lebanon because he was a leader of the resistance.

of course, it only took the comments of anon 10:04 and a google search to find the real reason.

It turns out that Quntar was not even a member of Hizballah. He worked with the Palestinians. And was arrested by the Israelis for conducted a raid inside Israel in which he murdered a father and daughter who were enjoying a day at the beach.

The mother survived because she hid. The other daughter died because the terrified mother suffocated her in an attempt to keep her quiet.

Of course, the Israelis murdered children and families as well. Sabra & Chatila, Qana, and the list goes on. These crimes overshadow Quntar's crime.

However, I don't know if I can glorify a man who crushed the skull of 4 year old girl against a rock with the butt of his rifle.

Anonymous said...

"a google search to find the real reason"
How academic

Anonymous said...

Hassan,
I am sure you don't see Kuntar the way Raja and Anon described.

I am honestly curious to know your perspective on this issue.

Thanks.
Hussein

JoseyWales said...

Thanks anon for the details. I had a feeling this was not a guy I cared about.

Hassan, it seems to me that Kantar has nothing to do with the Maugham quote, so like Hussein, I would like to hear your perspective.

PS. IGTH

Anonymous said...

Samir al Kuntar was abducted while he was trying to abduct an Israeli nuclear scientist.
His operation had two goals:
1. Uncover the nuclear israeli project and put it under the light
2. Use the Israeli nuclear scientist as a bargaining ship to free Lebanese and Palestinian hostages in detention and isolation camps in the deserts.

The Israelies opened fire at the house where the scientist was held hostage and the latter got killed in the cross fire. The story of the mother with her daughter is not substantiated by any medical reports in the court that sentenced Samir ( Source Haaretz). The daughter could have been killed in the cross fire too.

lThe area he was in is called disputed land in legal terms. So he was not crossing a border perse. The international laws require Israel to draw its final borders and it did not do that till today which means the land is legaly disputed and annexed.

Legaly also, the nuclear scientist is in defiance of UN laws and treaties. The whole nuclear Israeli project is. Attacking it is only a pre-emptive strike.

Hassan said...

May,

I usually check most quotes on (www.yuni.com) which is also an especially cool place for Latin quotes, even for not-so-Latin expressions like “Hold me calls” and “I did call. Maybe your answering machine is broken”. But I could only find the Maugham quote on (www.brainyquotes.com).


JW and Hussein,

I posted this with the least amount of personal input for the main reason of informing without going into the debate on Samir Kuntar because much of whatever info can be found about him and that operation is subjective or geared. I was also hoping readers will benefit from the article that Samir wrote.

Personally I do support the main (big) ideas behind the Naharia operation, but, as with every operation that causes civilian losses, there are the details that I cannot come to peace with. This is why I did not “glorify” Kuntar. This is another point which I would borrow from Anon 11:17. I have a problem with people who kill civilians for any fight, even “ours”, whatever that means.

The quote was just something which needs to be said and remembered at this point of our country's history. Its relation to Samir Kuntar is a matter of personal judgment.

JoseyWales said...

Thx, Hassan.

Ecce Libanus said...

The guy is a sleazeball, a small time thug, and a murderer, like all the Palestinians that have raped Lebanon and all the Muslim Lebanese who shared in the booty with them. That's the bottom line. May he rot in captivity, and burn for all eternity! I hope this will help him think about his atrocious deeds.

Hassan said...

JW, thanks for making a clear-cut and constructive contribution.

Ecce Libanus said...

Doha,
a) I am not a man!
b) I did not say he was a Palestinian. I said he was "a sleazeball, a small time thug, and a murderer, like all the Palestinians that have raped Lebanon and all the Muslim Lebanese who shared in the booty with them." I slotted him with the "Muslim Lebanese who shared in the booty with them [Palestinians]".

Ecce Libanus said...

btw, how am I a hateful "man" when I mention "Palestinians that have raped Lebanon."??? I don't seem to be a hateful "man" when the subject of my "hate" is the Israeli rape of Lebanon.
Rape is rape, Doha, whether it be Israeli, Syrian, Palestinian, or LEBANESE for that matter. A pot SHOULDN'T call a kettle black, Doha!
cheerio

Hassan said...

Welcome May. At least someone got something out of the post!

Raja said...

lebanese w bass,

there is enough blame for the death and destruction that lebanese experienced for over 15 years to go around several times over. Thousands of pages have been written about the matter.

The point today is to hope that the environment within and without Lebanon has changed to such a degree so as not to allow for a return to the past.

I just want a Lebanon where people, with the "skills" and audacity of Samir Quntar, are either thrown in jail or incorporated into One armed forces - as opposed to ruling the streets.

That face you see in the picture can be found in all of Lebanon sects... not just its Muslim sects.

JoseyWales said...

The point today is to hope that the environment within and without Lebanon has changed to such a degree so as not to allow for a return to the past.

The point Raja is NOT "to hope the environment" changes. It is to grab the bull by the horn, talk about ugly things like LebW'Bass is doing (though I may not agree with all she says), and to make the change OURSELVES.

I think you''ll agree. ;)

Ecce Libanus said...

Thanks Raja. Your point is well taken. Still, as a Lebanese of Muslim background, I'll always feel a sense of inadequacy vis-a-vis my Christian friends as far as the Lebanese credentials of my own community are concerned. No one can impugn my own Lebanese authenticity and loyalty! But the credentials of my community as a whole, and especially the credential of its pre-Hariri movers and shakers, are less than dignifying to Lebanon, and to me personally, to say the least.


ps: for an illustration of what I'm talking about, visit my (long since abandoned) blog if you have a chance, and see the sort of vitriol and nastiness that was rained on me simply for daring to flaunt an undiluted "Lebanonness."

Anonymous said...

"of course, it only took the comments of anon 10:04 and a google search to find the real reason."

WOW, keep up the good work, the more you post the more you expose your ignorance. you'd better join jumblat and make the committee for accurate info taken from the internet and don't forget to look at his sheba'a farm maps!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Hassan for the reply.
On another note, why is everybody assuming Samir Kuntar is a Muslim?
All along I've thought he was a non-religious Druze, simply because I remember a Druze friend of mine telling me once that he is his uncle. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention.

Hassan said...

Hussein,

Actually you are right about Kontar being Druze.

Anonymous said...

Vox Populi,

it only takes an idiot to post such a comment. Who the hell told you I am pro-syrian?
The government doesn't need my map or yours. And definately not Jumblat's internet version! But needs to ask the shebaa farms owners.
So don't be so stupid and don't change the topic. Raja is wrong by trying to reference the internet for info about kuntar and taking info from some anonymous poster.

Kuntar is one of the most principled fighters in lebanon, and israel lies won't make him less than a hero.

Raja said...

mohamad,

"that anonymous poster" that you referred to was an article written by the sole survivor of that incident: THE MOTHER! She wrote an article about why Quntar should not be release in the Washington Post.

My dear friend. Maybe the mother can be biased. She probably is! BUT, the plea of grieving widow who has also lost her children (as a result of the oh so mighty quntar) is one that I simply cannot ignore!

Anonymous said...

raja,

I doubt the the israeli version of events in the first place. Israel tried to market its story for so long and made kuntar look like a murderer only to hide the truth - that was revealed 10 years after the incident- that kuntar was able to severely injure an israeli officer with very high rank in the army(forgot it) and killed others.

Concerning the civilians killed story, that clearly wasn't his intension if it ever occured, and most probably the child was killed in cross fire with israel and hence may be killed by the army itself!

Even if kuntar killed her, I can't understand that hatred against him. The war criminal ja3ja3 has murdered thousands and you still find some 'kind-sounding' lebanonese asking for amnesty because 11-years are enough. But 28 years of imprisonment for a brave principled resistance fighter against an occupation is something we shouldn't even point to or remember!!?? Or we should tell the non-authentic israeli story of civilians killed whenever we mention the name kuntar - as you told hassan!

Have you heard of the word HYPOCRISY?

Anonymous said...

raja,

"...is one that I simply cannot ignore"

WOW, that is mind mind-boggling man. You can't forget nor forgive a lebanese resistance fighter, while asking amnesty for israel by accepting normal relaions with its thugs in power!! Damn it, remember the word above again. And never ever lecture anyone in lebanon about lebanese loyality, 7orriyeh, siyedeh, iste2lel,...etc. especially those whose fought for lebanon with blood against israel, whether they are armed fighters or CIVILIANS seeking refuge in the small village of Qana.

OK now pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase before you jump on your keyboard for a reply think for a moment. Otherwise, I'm sure you don't like non-sense posted on your blog!

Raja said...

Mohamad, please... you are in no position to threaten me. You are responsible for your own words and the consequences that ensue as a result of them.

These debates usually go no where. You have taken a position and I have taken mine.

Originally, I merely stated that we should not "glorify" a man before we know more about him, and that there are allegations (by the mother) that indicate he murdered her child.

You responded by insulting me and attributing my claims to an "anonymous poster." In subsequent comments, you then went on to delve into patriotism, hypocrisy, lebanonism, Jaejae, etc, etc... All in response to my presentation of an allegation that Quntar had murdered a 4 year old child, and my request that people consider those allegations before comming to any sort of judgement regarding him and his plight.

You appear to have taken offense to the revealing of a Truth that does not suit you or your political position. My apologies, Mohamad. But people are entitled to know everything before making their judgements. Witholders of information, be they dictatorial regimes, "Guardian Councils," or you, can all be classified as patronizing opporessors who believe that their fellow men and women are incapable of judgement based on facts. Don't worry Mo. Most people who read are neither children nor animals. They have minds which they can use.

Raja said...

Oh,

and here's the link to the WP article:

http://www.geocities.com/myjoy18/abbas.htm

Anonymous said...

raja,

Threaten you? how is that? with words? OK. I understand if my words smacked you, but I wasn't threatening. You may take it as an advice. "Don't lecture lebanese on their loyality when you trust israeli rubbish blindly."

And the article you pasted has zero credibility. Did you read assafir's articles. Go read them for some info (samir is supposed to spend 542 years in jail, BTW!).

The story you took as granted is not a 'truth revealed that made me upset' as you said. Unfortunately, this story is circulated more than the lebanese version, but the fact that some lebanese are ready to believe it only because they pro-disarming a resistance that kuntar supports is the annoying part.

And now I support oppresers!!you're a joke. I don't understand how you jumped to that conclusion, without hearing my view on the issue. While in the same time, you support mini-hariri and never fail to show your support to the saudi corrupt terrorism-breeding regime!!
Raja, you are annoyingly confused.

Anonymous said...

i'm glad hassan does very little posting on this blog... his nonexistant research and analysis shames in comparison to the hard work we see from the other contributors like raja and doha... keep up the good work guys, and keep hassan busy on random wild goose chases!

Anonymous said...

In response to both: At 9:47 AM, mohamad said...
Kuntar is one of the most principled fighters in lebanon, and israel lies won't make him less than a hero.

At 12:15 AM, mohamad said...
But 28 years of imprisonment for a brave principled resistance fighter against an occupation is something we shouldn't even point to or remember!!??
________________________________

How can anyone no matter his/her religious background describe a person who crushed the skull of a 4 year old girl against a rock with a rifle butt as "principled" or as a "hero." A person who also killed her father before her eyes. I don't believe that Islam or any religino allows for the killing of civilians. I also don't understand how any person who has a the smallest value for human life can describe that act as "principled." I am sorry, but for a premeditated double murder and having no remorse, he is lucky to have life in prison. Israel even gave him a university eductation!?!? Only an animal can do something like that.

Let's not start making excuses for what he did like he is "responding to a brutal occupation." That may be the case but I know many Palestinians who are not capable of such inhumanity.

JeffMichell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JeffMichell said...

"THE REAL REASON FOR THE 2006 SUMMER WAR
BETWEEN HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL."


Samir Kuntar
سمير القنطار‎
CONFESSED CHILD KILLER!

On July 12, 2006 Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists crossed the border with Israel in an operation dubbed "Operation Truthful Promise," which was aimed at nabbing Israeli soldiers in exchange for Lebanese prisoners. Hezbollah succeeded in the operation and successfully took hostage two Israeli soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. During the operation, eight Israeli soldiers were killed. This ignited the sequence of events which led to the Israel/Lebanon summer war.

The story goes further back than July of 2006. It really began in April 1979! On Sabbath day, April 22, 1979, Danny and Smadar Haran met up with a monster named Samir Kuntar.

Danny and Smadar were a loving Israeli couple. They had everything they could ever hope for... love, marriage and two precious daughters, Einat, 4 and Yael, 2. That day Smadar was home anticipating Danny's return from work and preparing for the Sabbath. She had just picked up their two toddlers from day care. Danny, on the other hand, was looking forward to nothing more than getting home and spending time with his wife and his two young daughters.

Traditionally, the Sabbath is the most special day of the week, the day the family gets to spend time together and celebrate their bond to Judaism. It was especially important for Danny who, as a young father, had to work extra hard in order to provide for his wife and young children. Little did Smadar know that this would be the last Sabbath she would celebrate with her family because of a man named Samir Kuntar. Around midnight the nightmare began!

Who is Samir Kuntar?

Samir Kuntar is one of three Lebanese prisoners still serving time in Israeli jails. Kuntar, a Lebanese Druze born on July 20, 1962 in the Lebanese mountain village of Aabey currently holds the dubious distinction of being the longest held Lebanese prisoner in Israeli jails! He was a member of Abu Abbas' notorious PLF (Palestine Liberation Front) which committed despicable acts of terror against Israeli, Jewish, and American targets worldwide throughout the 1970's and 1980's. Kuntar was convicted and sentenced to a 534 years prison sentence by the state of Israel. Israel even almost tried to pass a bill to have him executed! What did he do? What was his crime?

The Nasser Operation

The crime he committed was the most horrific crime ever committed on Israeli soil! On April 22, 1979 Samir Kuntar along with a gang of three other PLF terrorists (Abed Majeed Asslan, Ahmed Al-Abras, and Mhanna Salim Al- Muyaed) departed from the southern Lebanese seashore city of Tyre on a 55-horsepowered rubber motor boat. Their destination was the Israeli coastal city of Naharyia, about 10 km south of the Lebanese border, the target of their operation was a residential apartment building. This operation was dubbed "Nasser Operation" and its aim was the killing and terrorizing of Israel's Jewish civilians.

The terrorists made landfall in the Israeli coastal city of Naharyia at around midnight, undetected under the cover of darkness. As they made their way along the shore, they were intercepted by an Israeli police officer whom they shot dead. In Naharya the terrorists broke into a building as other Israeli police officers arrived on the scene. The terrorists then broke into Danny and Smadar Haran's apartment, fired their weapons and threw grenades. Smadar managed to find a crawl space into which she, her younger daughter, 2 year old Yael, and a neighbor all hid. To prevent Yael from crying and giving away their hiding place, Smadar covered the child's mouth with her hand.

According to Smadar "They held Danny and Einat while they searched for me and Yael, knowing there were more people in the apartment. I will never forget the joy and the hatred in their voices as they swaggered about hunting for us, firing their guns and throwing grenades. I knew that if Yael cried out, the terrorists would toss a grenade into the crawl space and we would be killed. So I kept my hand over her mouth, hoping she could breathe. As I lay there, I remembered my mother telling me how she had hidden from the Nazis during the Holocaust. 'This is just like what happened to my mother,' I thought."

Sadly, Smadar's attempt to muffle her daughter's whimpering proved fatal. Yael was accidentally suffocated and died within the hiding space.

According to Smadar Haran, her last memories of Danny and Einat, that day, were when they were being led away at gun point by Kuntar. She could hear from her closet space Danny telling Einat, "Don't be scared, my baby, it will be alright" and Einat replied to him in her little voice, "Dad, where is Mommy? I want Mommy." Smadar's last memory of her 2-year-old daughter, Yael, was when her little daughter was taken to the apartment hiding space. Right before Yael had her mouth covered by her mother, she asked her mother "Where is my little pacifier." There was no time to search for the pacifier. Minutes later Smadar covered Yael's mouth to keep her from revealing the hiding space. Smadar soon felt her daughter's tiny tongue licks and lip sucking on the palm of her hand. She didn't know what to make of it at first but hours later was told by doctors and paramedics that the reason Yael was licking her palm while she covered her mouth was because she was gasping for air.

After taking Danny and four-year old Einat hostage, Kuntar and his group took them down to the beach. Samir Kuntar quickly shot Danny in the back and then drowned him in the Mediterranean Sea to ensure his death. While Kuntar drowned Danny, he forced terrified Einat to watch and cry. According to eyewitnesses, "Danny was murdered in front of Einat so that his death would be the last sight she would ever see." Little Einat would not have that horrible memory in her head for long. Kuntar, the brave Lebanese freedom fighter, crushed Einat's skull over and over upon the rocks with the butt of his rifle until she was dead.

During the ensuing shootout between Kuntar's terror group and Israeli police, two policeman were killed along with two of the Arab terrorists. Kuntar and the fourth participant, Ahmed Al-Abrass, were captured. Ahmed Al-Abrass was later free by the Israeli authorities in the infamous May 1985 Ahmed Jibril prisoner exchange deal in which 1,150 Arab prisoners (some of whom had blood on their hands) were exchanged for three Israeli soldiers. Kuntar was not included in the deal.

The Israeli government determined at first to make a decision to execute Kuntar, for his horrific crime, especially for the fact that he tortured and beat to death the 4-year old toddler. Israeli Prime Minister at that time, Menachem Beagin , proposed a draft resolution to the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Israeli Keenest on April 24, 1979. He demanded to eliminate a previous resolution stipulated by the Israeli cabinet, which said no execution should be implemented against terrorists as the international law prohibits it. The Israeli Foreign Minister Izer Weizman and Transportation Minister Hayeem Landau supported Beagin’s draft resolution. Abraham Sharer, who was the head of the Likude parliamentary bloc also, called for Kuntar’s execution. Isaac Shamir issued a statement on April 25, 1979 also calling for his execution.

Kuntar flashing the victory sign while being sentenced
by an Israeli court. File photo from Israeli newspaper

The Israelis tried to implement the execution sentence on Samir Kuntar and the whole parliament agreed on them. The only dilemma they were having was the Israeli law that doesn’t allow execution except for the Nazis of the World War II and to those found guilty of betrayal to their country. Furthermore, they did not want the international community on their backs; also, they wanted to improve their relationship with Egypt after the peace process. As a consequence, the Israeli central court in Haifa sentenced Kuntar to 5 life sentences plus 47 years to come up with the total of 542 years. During the trial, Kuntar was waving victory signs, and called himself a hero.

Samir Kuntar has confessed proudly to his murder of the little girl and never once showed one ounce of remorse for his crime. Even while serving his prison term, he has bragged repeatedly during interviews about how proud he was for murdering the 4-year-old Israeli child. While in prison Kuntar got married and even receives conjugal visits. Below he stands proudly alongside other convicted Arab murderer, Marwan Barghouti.

Several months later, the PLF seized the Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship, and demanded that Israel release Kuntar along with a list of 50 other Palestinian prisoners. Ironically out of the 50 Arab Palestinian prisoners that were demanded, Kuntar was the ONLY one that was "actually" named on that list. The hijackers killed a wheelchair-bound American Jewish passenger, Leon Klinghoffer, and threw him overboard into the Mediterranean Sea. Kuntar was not released, but his supporters would not give up. In 2004 Israel release ALL Lebanese prisoners except for Kuntar and two other Lebanese (Nissim Nasser and Yehya Sakaf). In fact Kuntar, as well, was almost released by Israel during that infamous Israel Hezbollah Prisoner Exchange of 2004, BUT in the last second Hezbollah violated the agreement and Kuntar remained behind bars!

War: July 12, 2006

On July 12, 2006 per orders of Hezbollah leader, Sheik Hasssan Nasrallah, Hezbollah terrorists crossed the northern Israeli border. They attacked two Israeli military vehicles with anti tank missiles, killed four soldiers, kidnapped two others and demanded the immediate unconditional release of Samir Kuntar in exchange for the two abducted soldiers. Hezbollah originally named this operation "Operation Freedom for Samir Al-Kuntar," but on the days leading up to the July 12 attack it was shortened to "Operation Truthful Promise." The latter referred to the "true promise" Nasrallah had made to the Kuntar family that the cross-border kidnapping of IDF soldiers to force the release of Samir Kuntar.
In subsequent interviews on Al-Manar TV station Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh, the Lebanese Minster of Health, congratulated Hezbollah for "its great actions" and said that "Lebanon has the right to regain its prisoners and liberate them." Ali Ammar, an Hezbollah member of the Lebanese Parliament, stated his opinion that "particularly at this basic stage in the history of the homeland and the nation, this government should have expressed solidarity with its people and let Samir Quntar feel that he is a Lebanese par excellence."

As expected, the Israeli government was not interested in negotiating with terrorists. They sent a small number of troops into southern Lebanon in an attempt to quickly find and free their two soldiers. Soon Hezbollah began shelling Israel's northern communities with Katuysha rockets in an attempt to kill as many innocent men, women and children as possible and to pressure the Israeli government to take the prisoner exchange demand. Israel had no choice but to escalate their response. Both Hezbollah, their supporters and Lebanon's civil infrastructure all suffered the consequences. Even though Israel defeated Hezbollah during this war, it still didn't manage to get its soldiers back.

During the fighting Israel captured a Hezbollah terrorist by the name of Ali Hassan Saliman. In the interviews/interrogations following his capture, Saliman said that the main objective of Hezbollah's corss-border kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers was to secure the release of Samir Kuntar. Also, that Nasrallah had made a promise to the Kuntar family that Samir would be released. The Hezbollah operation was first and foremost aimed at releasing Kuntar. Everything else was secondary.

Israel's track record of going against it's previous policy of not releasing Arab prisoners with blood on their hands in exchange for IDF soldiers has come home to roost. Arab terrorist groups have been encouraged to kidnap Israelis in the hope (and often the expectation) that these soldiers will become bargaining chips for the release of Arab prisoners. This softening of Israel's formerly strict policy of never negotiating with terrorists has merely added fuel to the fire. Israeli soldiers are supposed to protect the children of Israel, not to facilitate the release of child murderers, such as the monster, Samir Kuntar.

Neither Israelis individually nor their military intentionally targets children or any non-combatant, for that matter. When children die, it is nearly always because they are caught in the crossfire or when they are "set up" by their fellow Arab-terrorists to score propaganda points. But NEVER would manner of the killing be so pre-planned nor would the act itself be so glorified, such as that as Samir Kuntar.

Smadar Haran has since remarried and is raising a new family. She hopes that Samir Kuntar will stay behind bars until his dying day. "I don't believe that the terrorist will be released now, and I don't believe that the Israeli government will accept this request, after it promised not to release terrorists with blood on their hands."

We at SamirKuntar.net concur with Smadar Haran. We will do whatever we can to see that Samir Kuntar rots in Israeli prisons. We would also urge the Israeli government and courts to reverse the long-standing policy of not allowing for the administration of the death sentence. After all, Samir Kuntar and other Samir Kuntars like him never thought twice about administrating the death sentence to little Einat Haran and other Einat Harans just like her!

CONCLUSION

Kuntar was not the reason Israel chose to go to war with Lebanon but he was the reason Hezbollah kidnapped the two soldiers which set the war process in motion.

POSTSCRIPT

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah doubt that Kuntar murdered Danny and Einat Haran. The only difference is that Israel sees him as the cold-blooded murderer he is. Hezbollah and their supporters glorify him as a freedom fighter and hero!

There is another point worth mentioning. Hezbollah has never claimed that Kuntar was innocent or that he may have been framed. They only demand his release as if he were being held unlawfully and that Israel had no right to imprison him. Once again it's all about Israel never doing any right and Arabs incapable of doing any wrong!

A Sad Gruesome Reality.....
After drowning Danny in the sea in front of little Einat, Kuntar, the brave Lebanese freedom fighter, then turned his attention towards the frightened little 4-year old. He took his rifle and then swung it across the little toddler's head, knocking her to the ground. As little Einat was knocked to the ground, she was screaming and crying hysterically "mommy daddy help me," while thrashing her little legs around in the sand. But unfortunately Einat was alone, and no one was there to save her. Kuntar then dragged the little toddler a couple of feet to the closest rock he could find, this was while she was begging him not to hurt her. Kuntar, then laid her head down on a rock, with the intention of crushing it with the butt of his rifle. Einat, instinctively covered her head with her little arms, Kuntar struggled with the little toddler until he finally managed to clear her arms out of the way so that he could aim for the head, and then he proceeded on beating her over and over with the butt of his rifle until blood rushed out of her ears and her little cries faded away as she was knocked into unconsciousness. Then, to ensure she was dead, Kuntar continued on beating her over the head, as hard as he could, several more times until her skull was crushed and she was dead.

ARTICLES AND REFERENCES

Israel moots Kuntar prisoner swap
(AL-JAZEERA 9/17/2006)
Free the monster Samir Kuntar
(Haaretz article 09/04/2006)
Plot to free terrorist (Kuntar) may have led to fight
(Washington Times 8/8/2006)
Nasrallah says no deal without Samir
(9/12/2006 BBC article "Nasrallah Demands Militant Free")
"Hizballah Wants Israel to Free Child-Killer"
(Cybercast News Service, 7/18/2006)
More than 25 years later, militant still atop Hezbollah's list for swap
(Seattle Times 8/16/2006)
Why Hezbollah Attacked Israel
(Mens News Daily 8/09/2006)
Samir Kuntar to be released very soon
The Jerusalem Post 1/6/2007