Israel - Lebanon
Israel, Hezbollah prisoner swap set for Wednesday
Sunday 13 July 2008
A prisoner swap between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah has been set for Wednesday, which will include the release of Samir Qantar, currently serving a life sentence for killing a policeman in northern Israel in 1979.
Sunday 13 July 2008
By Reuters (text) / C.Westerheide (video)
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group will exchange prisoners on Wednesday
under a U.N.-mediated deal, Israel's Prisons Service said on Sunday.
Lebanese security sources said last week that under the
agreement, Israel will release five Lebanese prisoners and
Hezbollah will hand over two Israeli soldiers seized in a
cross-border raid that triggered the 2006 war between Israel and
the Iranian-backed group.
agreement, Israel will release five Lebanese prisoners and
Hezbollah will hand over two Israeli soldiers seized in a
cross-border raid that triggered the 2006 war between Israel and
the Iranian-backed group.
Hezbollah has given no word on the condition of the two
soldiers, although they are widely presumed dead.
soldiers, although they are widely presumed dead.
A spokesman for the Prisons Service said the exchange would
take place on Wednesday, but he declined to say where along the
Israel-Lebanon border. Previous exchanges were made at the
coastal Naqoura frontier crossing.
take place on Wednesday, but he declined to say where along the
Israel-Lebanon border. Previous exchanges were made at the
coastal Naqoura frontier crossing.
The Lebanese prisoners include Samir Qantar, who is serving
a life sentence for killing a policeman as well as a man and his
4-year-old daughter during a 1979 raid on the northern Israeli
coastal town of Nahariya.
a life sentence for killing a policeman as well as a man and his
4-year-old daughter during a 1979 raid on the northern Israeli
coastal town of Nahariya.
As part of the deal, which was negotiated by a German
intelligence officer, Israel will also hand over the bodies of
200 Arabs killed while infiltrating northern Israel. Hezbollah
is to return body parts of Israeli soldiers killed in south
Lebanon in 2006.
intelligence officer, Israel will also hand over the bodies of
200 Arabs killed while infiltrating northern Israel. Hezbollah
is to return body parts of Israeli soldiers killed in south
Lebanon in 2006.
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IN THE FIELD
'Both Olmert and Abbas welcome President Sarkozy's support," GRN correspondent A. Young in Jerusalem, 12am (GMT+2)
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