According to the decision, the government will partially fund a $10 million reward for any information pertaining to the missing airman, in in a month's time.

The rest if the funding will come from the non-profit organization, which has been campaigning on behalf of the Arad family and friends for greater effort on the government's behalf to actively seek information on the fate of Arad.

The decision to offer the reward was reached despite objections by German mediator Ernst Uhrlau, who felt such an announcement could adversely affect his efforts to bring about a deal between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah. Israel believes Hezbollah is key in learning the fate of Arad and that he was delivered by Hezbollah in Lebanon to Iran. Hezbollah is intent on winning the release of captive Lebanese militant Samir Kuntar who was responsible for the 1979 murder of a police officer and three members of the Haran family in a terror attack in Nahariya.

Members of the non-profit group that acts on behalf of Arad proposed offering a monetary reward two years ago, however, at the time the security establishment opposed the idea. Prime Minister Sharon told his cabinet ministers he decided to offer the reward two weeks ago, and he notified members of the non-profit group several days ago.

Members of the non-profit group, among them former Air Force chief Avihu Bin-Nun. former Shin Bet security services chief Ami Ayalon and the family's representative, attorney Eliad Shraga, are planning to publish the prize-offer in Arab and international media outlets in a month, in the hope it will lead to information regarding Arad's fate.