MIDDLE EAST: ISRAEL EXHUMES BODIES OF SOME OF THE LEBANESE AND PALESTINIAN GUERRILLAS BEING HANDED OVER AS PART OF A GERMAN-MEDIATED PRISONER SWAP

Record ID: 400338

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: ISRAEL EXHUMES BODIES OF SOME OF THE LEBANESE AND PALESTINIAN GUERRILLAS BEING HANDED OVER AS PART OF A GERMAN-MEDIATED PRISONER SWAP
  • Date: 26th January 2004
  • Summary: (U3) NORTH OF ISRAEL (JANUARY 26, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF BODIES BEING PULLED OUT OF THE GRAVES IN ORDER TO BE RETURNED AS PART OF HIZBOLLAH-ISRAEL PRISONER SWAP DEAL BY ISRAELI ARMY FIGURES (6 SHOTS) 0.58 (U3) GAZA (JANUARY 26, 2004) (REUTERS) 2. WIDE OF PALESTINIAN FAMILIES HOLDING POSTERS OF SONS WHO ARE IN PRISONER IN ISRAELI J
  • Embargoed: 10th February 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NORTH OF ISRAEL/ GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP / RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVA2CKIPARGJL9ADAXTEVLU8LK9L
  • Story Text: Israel exhume bodies of some of the Lebanese and
    Palestinians being handed over as part of an expected
    prisoner exchange.


    Israel began to pull out the bodies of some of the
    59 Lebanese and Palestinian guerrillas which it will hand
    over as part of a German-mediated prisoner swap with
    Hizbollah set to take place on Thursday (January 29, 2004).

    The deal, three years in the making, also includes the
    release of 435, Arab and Palestinian prisoners from
    Israeli jails. 400 Palestinians, 23 Lebanese and 12 other
    Arab prisoners as well as a German citizen will be released
    in return for an abducted Israeli businessman and three
    soldiers, presumed dead.

    Hizbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said a second
    stage of negotiations would deal with the fate of Israeli
    airman Ron Arad, missing in Lebanon since 1986, and four
    Iranian diplomats kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982 during the
    Israeli invasion.

    He also said the Lebanese and some Arab prisoners would
    be flown to Beirut while the Palestinians would return to
    Gaza and the West Bank.

    Some freed Syrians would go back to their homes in the
    Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The four Israelis would be
    handed over to a German mediator in Beirut on Thursday, he
    added but declined to say whether the three soldiers,
    presumed dead by the Israeli military, were alive or not.

    All four have been missing since 2000.

    In Gaza, relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli
    jails hailed the prisoner swap.

    Some hoped their sons will soon be coming home when the
    deal is implemented on Thursday while others, whose sons
    were jailed for killing Israelis, urged Hizbollah chief
    Hassan Nasrallah, not to forget about them.

    "I send a thousand greetings to Mr. Sheikh Hassan
    Nasrallah. Because no other Arab leader has done what he
    has done. We thank him for his courageous efforts. For us
    whatever happens, this is one of the biggest achievements
    for the Arabs, Palestinians, for the prisoners and the
    family of the prisoners," an unidentified Palestinian
    mother of a detainee said.

    Israel has yet to publish the lists of names of those
    it was going to free from jails but it made clear those
    "with blood on their hands" would not be included in the
    group of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

    Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie praised the
    recent deal between Israel and Lebanon.

    "The deal that was reached between Israel and Hizbollah
    was significant. We welcome it and we hope all Palestinian
    and Arab prisoners will be released from the Israeli
    occupation jails" he said.


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