To the editor:
All Americans should be pleased to see the Lebanon hostage situation finally nearing resolution. As this tragic affair comes to a close, it is interesting to note that the key element of exchanging Israel's Arab hostages is only now receiving extensive media attention.The relationship between the 375 hostages held by Israel and the hostages held by the Hezbollah factions is obvious. Most of the hostages held by Israel were captured prior to the taking of Western hostages. Many were civilians whose only crime was to be young Arab males. These young men have families who grieve for them the same as families of Western hostages. Israel's taking and holding of hostages was against all standards of international law and morally equal to the actions of Hezbollah.
It is strange that while the American leaders and media discussed at length the injustice suffered by eight American hostages, they rarely mentioned the fact that Israel was illegally holding 375 Lebanese Arabs.
The factors that have changed the hostage situation are complex. However, it is reasonable to speculate that the failure of American leaders and the media to press for an end of Israel's illegal hostage taking contributed to additional years of suffering by the American hostages and their families.
Charles Harne
Sandy