Israel releases Palestinian prisoners as part of swap with Hezbollah

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jan 29, 2004 | by Associated Press

Tannenbaum, a former Israeli colonel who also was captured while conducting a business deal in an Arab country, faces questioning upon his return. Israeli officials would say only that Tannenbaum's first stop would be a hospital for medical treatment.

Tannenbaum told Al Manar that he had come to Lebanon in search of information about airman Ron Arad, who was shot down over Lebanon in 1986 and captured alive.

With the completed swap, the sides are to launch a second stage of negotiations, with Israel to receive concrete information on Arad within three months. In exchange, Israel would release Samir Kantar, a Lebanese militant who has been in an Israeli prison since 1979 for killing three Israelis.

Hezbollah said it planned a welcoming ceremony for its returning prisoners in Beirut on Thursday.