Netanyahu Orders Effort to Recover Bodies of Jewish Leaders Murdered in Lebanon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of Jewish community leaders who were abducted and murdered in Lebanon in the mid-1980s. The Prime Minister's Office stated that this initiative is part of ongoing negotiations with Lebanon.

Netanyahu has reportedly been involved with this issue for decades, dating back to his tenure as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. Significant efforts have been made in recent months by both Lebanon and Israel, including operations on the ground, to find the bodies.

In light of this substantial activity, Israel decided to release five Lebanese civilians who were detained in areas controlled by the IDF in southern Lebanon. Following investigations, it was determined that these individuals were civilians not affiliated with any terrorist organization and posed no threat, thus warranting their release from Israeli custody.

The Jewish leaders, referred to as "royal victims" (Harugei Malchut), were killed by terrorist organizations in Lebanon during the 1980s. The specific circumstances and identities of the victims are not detailed in the announcement.