Introduction:
The talks over exchanging hostages and martyrs’ corpses with the remains of the “Israeli” soldier killed in the bungled raid at Insarieh (*) had continued in the political and media circles of Lebanon. This was accompanied by an internal “Israeli” debates concerning the withdrawal from South Lebanon.

However, Lebanon is still apt to the military aggressions launched by the “Israeli” occupation forces in cooperating with the “Israelis” agent Antoine Lahd who put himself in the service of the “Israeli” since 1984 when he resigned from the Lebanese Army (1).

Exchanging the Hostages and Martyrs’ Bodies:
A senior official source (2) confirmed that the ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and “Israel” about exchanging the Lebanese hostages and the remains of the “Israeli” soldier are going on via the International Committee for the Red Cross.

The source denied any appointment for this swap to begin, but he stressed that the negotiations are in operation.

Elsewhere, Information National Agency mentioned that the swap will take place on Wednesday 17 June via Kfar Falous crossing point. The swap is said to include releasing fifty Lebanese hostages detained at Khiam detention camp and several others captured in “Israel’s” prisons in addition to delivering forty martyrs’ bodies.

A source closed to the operation reported that “there are certain difficulties about the arrangements thus preventing any appointment to be fixed, he said to the France Press Agency.

The source, who preferred anonymous, made it clear that so far, the negotiations resulted in releasing sixty hostages and forty corpses in return for the bodily parts of the “Israeli” soldier.

For his part, the “Israeli” agent Antoine Lahd said, “Soha Bshara’s case is personal”. I will release her when I want, he said. Also, he announced that the number of hostages at Khiam detention camp is 175 among them there are three women.

The “Israeli” agent rejected the Arab journalists to visit Khiam detention camp claiming that it is enough for the International Committee for the Red Cross to visit them.

But Lahd’s claim this is completely untruth for the Committee had been prohibited to visit the hostages several months ago. Lahd’s statement is not but a deception and aims at improving his image as a traitor.

“Israeli” Aggressions (4):
The Islamic Resistance issued a statement in which it mentioned the following “Israeli” aggressions:
10:30 and until 11:00, an M.K. reconnaissance aircraft hovered in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Tuffah and East Saida.
10:55, heavy machine gun rounds fired at Mohammad Shami’s Range-Rover car in Jarjoua village where he miraculously survived.
11:15, the helicopters soared over Iqleem Al-Tuffah heights.
11:20, an M.K. reconnaissance aircraft flew over Shaqra and the nearby areas. Meanwhile, Zaffateh position targeted Aqmata plain with three 155mm missiles.
11:40, the reconnaissance plane flew, at middle altitude, over Litani River and Qaaqaiyat Al-Jisr village.
12:35, a drone reconnaissance plane flew, at middle height, over Zibqeen, Qlayleh, Mansouri, Hennieh and Majdal Zoun villages.
12:55, a drone reconnaissance plane flew over Yater village and its vicinity.
20:30, two “Israeli” choppers hovered over Blat position.
20:50, Sojod outpost showered its surroundings with a barrage of 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds.
21:00, Sojod outpost fired 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds and forty grenades at its surroundings.
21:05, Sojod outpost unleashed heavy machine gun fire at the road of Loweizeh-Jarjoua.
21:10, the “Israeli” fighters flew in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Tuffah heights, while the helicopters soared over Sojod, Aishieh and Rihan areas.
21:50, Zaffateh position shelled the peripheries of Jibaa village with three 155mm missiles.
22:10, two lightened helicopters hovered, at middle altitude, over Houla.
22:15, the helicopters soared, at middle height, over Markaba and Houla villages.
23:45, Ali Taher outpost fired two tank rounds at the upper quarter of Kfar Tibbnit and 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds at Ali Taher woodland.
24:00, Ali Taher outpost unleashed two flare shells over Kfar Tibbnit village.

Islamic Resistance Operations (5)
In its statement, the Islamic Resistance owned the responsibility of the following attacks:
19:25, the group of martyr Abbas Al-Wazwaz targeted Blat position chalking up direct goals and enkindling several blazes.
21:00, the group of martyr Amin Mustafa Melhem attacked Bir Kallab outpost with the rockets scoring direct hits.
21:55, the group of martyr Wissam Hassan Hijazi watched an “Israeli” motorized force behind Kassaret Al-Oroush position. Then, the militants attacked it with the adequate arms scoring direct hits.

Debate over “Israel’s” Withdrawal (6):
The debates over “Israel’s” retreat from Lebanon were heated following the Brigadier General Irez Gerstein’s statement about preventing the “Israelis” from demanding the retreat on the pretext of endangering the “Israeli” soldiers stationed in South Lebanon.

Several “Israeli” officials denounced Gerstein’s statements. Yossi Belin, Head of Peaceful Pull-out of Lebanon Movement, called on Amnon Shahak, “Israel’s” Chief of Staff, to order the officers to be away from the political issues.

Spokeswoman of Four Mothers Movement said “Instead of accusing the soldiers’ families, you should study the situation in Lebanon and put on end to the killing in this fabricated war”. Moreover, many members of Kenesset’s Committee of Security and Foreign Affairs decried Gerstein’s stance. Haim Ramoun, Labor Party, demanded that Gerstein must be resigned.

For his part, Ran Cohin, Miritz Party, requested that one should consider the seriousness of “an attempt made by a senior officer to muzzle the free citizens under a silly and phony pretense that the freedom of speech harms the fighting performance”.

“We are bringing up our sons not to be put under his command in order to treat them at discretion and without being have a right to express our opinion”, Cohin ended.

Yail Dayan demanded that Gerstein should be subjected to a disciplinary council, whereas Benjamin Ben Aliazar maintained that Gerstein had committed a mistake..”

Ouzi Landaw, a member of Likud Party and Head of Kenesset’s Committee of Security and Foreign Affairs, denied this stand for it had been issued by a military officer who should by always away from the political affairs.

Finally, Amnon Shahak, “Israel’s” Chief of Staff, considered that there is no need to these such kinds of stances. Besides, this statement is in correct and should not be issued by an “Israeli” Army officer”.

At the same time, he rejected that Gerstein must be resigned.