"Israel" Confirms Bodies Returned by Hizbullah belong to Troops
Source: AFP, 03-06-2008
The remains of five 'Israeli' soldiers handed over by Hizbullah as part of a prisoner exchange have been released to their families, the 'Israeli' Army announced Monday. The Lebanese resistance group handed over Sunday to the International Committee of the Red Cross the remains of 'Israeli' soldiers killed in the summer 2006 war.
According to 'Israeli' media reports the Zionist state has confirmed that human remains it received from Hizbullah this week belonged to five of its soldiers killed in the summer 2006 war.
"The remains have been given to the families of the fallen soldiers from the summer 2006 war ... and will be buried," an 'Israeli' Army spokesman said.
The body parts were handed over to 'Israel' in exchange for the release of Lebanese-born Nassim Nisr, who had been jailed on charges of spying for Hizbullah.
Sunday's exchange raised speculation of progress in indirect talks between 'Israel' and Hizbullah over a broader prisoner swap.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Monday that Hizbullah has approved a prisoner-swap proposal drafted by German mediator Gerhard Konrad. The first stage of the reported draft consists of 'Israel' handing over the longest-serving Lebanese prisoner in 'Israel', Samir kintar, four other Hizbullah prisoners, the bodies of Hizbullah fighters and maps of mines planted by the 'Israeli' Army in South Lebanon.
In exchange, Hizbullah would hand over the bodies of 'Israeli' reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser - whose capture in July 2006 served as 'Israel's' pretext to launch a war and who are considered dead according to the report - and information about the whereabouts of 'Israeli' Air Force navigator Ron Arad, missing since his plane went down over Lebanon in 1986.
The Der Spiegel report said the second stage of the deal would involve 'Israel' freeing dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
The German magazine said Konrad had shuttled between Beirut and Occupied 'Jerusalem' (al-Quds) in the last week and had reported progress in the prisoner-swap negotiations. It said 'Israel' had yet to agree to the proposal.
The remains of five 'Israeli' soldiers handed over by Hizbullah as part of a prisoner exchange have been released to their families, the 'Israeli' Army announced Monday. The Lebanese resistance group handed over Sunday to the International Committee of the Red Cross the remains of 'Israeli' soldiers killed in the summer 2006 war.
According to 'Israeli' media reports the Zionist state has confirmed that human remains it received from Hizbullah this week belonged to five of its soldiers killed in the summer 2006 war.
"The remains have been given to the families of the fallen soldiers from the summer 2006 war ... and will be buried," an 'Israeli' Army spokesman said.
The body parts were handed over to 'Israel' in exchange for the release of Lebanese-born Nassim Nisr, who had been jailed on charges of spying for Hizbullah.
Sunday's exchange raised speculation of progress in indirect talks between 'Israel' and Hizbullah over a broader prisoner swap.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Monday that Hizbullah has approved a prisoner-swap proposal drafted by German mediator Gerhard Konrad. The first stage of the reported draft consists of 'Israel' handing over the longest-serving Lebanese prisoner in 'Israel', Samir kintar, four other Hizbullah prisoners, the bodies of Hizbullah fighters and maps of mines planted by the 'Israeli' Army in South Lebanon.
In exchange, Hizbullah would hand over the bodies of 'Israeli' reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser - whose capture in July 2006 served as 'Israel's' pretext to launch a war and who are considered dead according to the report - and information about the whereabouts of 'Israeli' Air Force navigator Ron Arad, missing since his plane went down over Lebanon in 1986.
The Der Spiegel report said the second stage of the deal would involve 'Israel' freeing dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
The German magazine said Konrad had shuttled between Beirut and Occupied 'Jerusalem' (al-Quds) in the last week and had reported progress in the prisoner-swap negotiations. It said 'Israel' had yet to agree to the proposal.
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