Israel PM speaks of snags in Hezbollah prisoner swap

PARIS (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told UN chief Ban Ki-Moon on Monday of last-minute difficulties in a proposed prisoner swap with Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, an aide told AFP.

Olmert told the UN chief that a report provided by the militants on the fate of Israeli airman Ron Arad, missing in Lebanon since 1986, was "inadequate", the aide said.

"The report on Ron Arad was completely inadequate," the Israeli premier was quoted as saying ahead of the exchange which officials had said was due to go ahead on Wednesday after months of UN-backed German mediation.

The Israeli cabinet was due to hold a final meeting on Tuesday morning to approve the deal which had been slated to see the release of five Lebanese prisoners in exchange for two soldiers captured by Hezbollah in a deadly cross-border raid two years ago that triggered a ...