A deal involving the exchange of Arabs imprisoned in Israel for Western hostages and Israeli soldiers held in Lebanon is in the works, according to the Israeli daily Ma’ariv.
The paper quoted a source at the International Red Cross in Geneva as saying that an agreement on a prisoner swap had been reached and that the agency was asked to make the necessary logistical arrangements.
But the report was greeted with skepticism here. Senior security officials said they had “no information” on any prisoner exchange deal involving Israel.
When asked why the defense minister’s adviser on prisoners, Uri Slonim, was in London, the security sources would only say he was conducting “office business.”
The swap was said to include Israelis officially missing in action or known to be held as prisoners of war, and hostages of other nationalities. Israel presumably would release Palestinian or Shi’ite prisoners in exchange.
Ma’ariv said an agreement on the swap was reached several weeks ago after months of discussions involving Israeli, Iranian, Soviet, American and Syrian representatives. It said the exchange was delayed because the Israelis balked at the number of prisoners they were asked to free.
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