A number of Israeli ministers on Sunday called for the assassination of Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. "Nasrallah is a cruel and crazy man," said Minister Yitzhak Cohen (Shas), during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "I don't understand why he is still breathing. We should have liquidated him a long time ago. I recommend the cabinet assassinate the man.
On his part, Interior Minister Meir Shitrit echoed the sentiment, saying, "Nasrallah is a person who has crossed all inhuman lines. We don't need to negotiate with him, we need to destroy him." Israel's Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim called Nasrallah a "sewer rat," adding, "we must make sure he does not see the light of day."
Meanwhile, senior Israeli sources said Saturday that Israel would not negotiate with Hizbullah over the return of soldiers' remains the Shiite group claimed to be holding. According to Haaretz, the Israeli sources expressed "shock" at Nasrallah's claims about the body parts in his possession.
"There is no intention of cooperating with Nasrallah. We will not be a party to profiteering in the remains of Israeli soldiers and will not trade in body parts," they were quoted as saying by the Tel Aviv-based newspaper. A statement by the Israeli Army Spokesman's Office said the statements "constitute a cruel and cynical move by an organization that fragrantly tramples the most fundamental, ethical codes, shows no respect for human rights or the international conventions that govern these matters ... we call upon all those with the most basic common sense to view him as cowardly and to condemn him."
Senior Israeli military officials Saturday confirmed that Hizbullah was in possession of the remains of Israeli troops who were killed during the 2006 War.
The Israeli sources, meanwhile, confirmed that the person mediating between Israel and Hizbullah is continuing his attempts to bring about another prisoner exchange deal, one that would include two captured Israeli soldiers.
Israeli officials said they believe the remains of about 10 soldiers are involved. Nasrallah made the statements Saturday in a rally marking the Shi'ite holiday of Ashura. "Oh Zionists, your army is lying to you ... your army has left the body parts of your soldiers in our villages and fields," Nasrallah said. "Our mujahideen used to fight these Zionists, killing them and collecting their body parts. I am not talking about regular body parts. I tell the Israelis, we have the heads of your soldiers, we have hands, we have legs ... there is even a near-complete body, a half or three-quarters of a body, from head, to chest to the torso," he stated.
