By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : The Israeli cabinet has approved the prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah, which will facilitate the return of captives Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. The motion was carried with a majority of 22 ministers.
The Israeli radio said that despite defence officials’ warning that prisoner exchange with Hezbollah will prompt further abductions, 22 ministers voted in favour of the deal.
Earlier, Prime Minister Olmert told the cabinet that the captives are “probably dead”.
Olmert urged his ministers to vote in favour of the deal. “At the end of a long process, I have reached the conclusion that as the Israeli prime minister I must recommend that you approve the proposal which will bring this painful affair to an end, even at the painful price it requires us to pay.”
During the discussion, he said that as far as Israel was aware, the kidnapped soldiers are no longer alive, and are believed to have been killed during the abduction or died of their wounds shortly afterwards.