Elhanan Tannenbaum - Prisoner Exchange

Prisoner Exchange

Tannenbaum was released in January 2004 as part of a prisoner swap with Hezbollah. The swap, mediated by Germany, resulted in the exchange of 435 prisoners held by Israel in return for Tannenbaum's release and the return of the bodies of three soldiers killed during an ambush along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Following his release, Tannenbaum was placed under arrest for his illegal actions that led up to his capture. He agreed to a plea-bargain and admitted to the reasons behind his travel to Dubai and described the details of his capture. In exchange, he was not tried for any crime and served no jail time. Among the 435 people released were Mustafa Dirani and Abdel Karim Obeid. These two individuals were kidnapped, in 1994 and 1989 respectively, for use as bargaining chips in the effort to secure the release of the most famous of the Israeli MIAs, Ron Arad. Fearing the release of these men would end any hope of finding Arad, his family attempted to take legal action to prevent their release. Nothing came of this effort.

While campaigning against the proposed Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange Mossad Chief Meir Dagan in 2011 claimed that "wo hundred thirty-one Israelis were slaughtered by those freed in the Tannenbaum exchange."

In December 2006, Tannenbaum, for the first time, admitted that he went to Dubai to complete a drug deal. He had expected to make $200,000 (€152,000) on the deal.