The fate of Alan Gross

Rabbi Elie Abadie

Rabbi Elie Abadie told the Associated Press that he met for two hours today with jailed American Alan Gross and considers him healthy.
If that's true, I doubt Cuban authorities are going to announce tomorrow that Gross is about to be released.
I have no idea what's going to happen. Maybe Gross will be freed. That would be great for him and his family.
But I've thought all along that Gross is too valuable to the Cuban government to be released anytime soon. He's living proof of the interventionist U.S. policies that Castro supporters reject.
My guess is that Cuba's position would change if Gross's health deteriorates or if there's some kind of deal for the Cuban Five.

Alan Gross. Photo: James Berenthal/CBS News

Cuban authorities arrested Gross in December 2009 and accused him of smuggling sophisticated satellite communication gear into the country as part of a broader plan to undermine state security.
His visitor today has a rich and unusual background. Abadie was born in Beirut, Lebanon, grew up in Mexico City and attended college in the United States.
He is both a rabbi and doctor, according to his biography, and practices internal medicine and gastroenterology.