Nasrallah: Talks on prisoners deal underway
Hizbullah leader tells Lebanese TV station that Italy is trying to play active role in negotiations on prisoner exchange between Israel and terror group; ‘contacts recently began for negotiations. It seems that Italy is trying to get into the subject; UN also interested,’ he says
"Contacts recently began for negotiations. It seems that Italy is trying to get into the subject. The United Nations is interested and the negotiations would be through (parliamentary speaker Nabih) Berri."
This is not the first report of the formulation of a prisoners deal between Israel and Hizbullah with European mediation. Family members of the abducted soldiers said they have not been abler to verify a similar report published by Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram.
According to the al-Ahram report, a deal may be implemented after Hizbullah agrees to release kidnapped IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser prior to the release of Lebanese prisoners being held by Israel the following day.
The full interview with Nasrallah will be broadcast on the Lebanese channel Sunday evening, but short sections have been released ahead of the full interview.
The number of Lebanese prisoners discussed by Nasrallah in reference to negotiations remains unclear.
This is not the first report dealing with an alleged emerging deal between Israel and Hizbullah through European mediations. The families of the kidnapped soldiers were the first to respond to the report, which was published in the Egyptian daily al-Ahram, saying that they did not know all of the details yet.
According to the report, the deal could be held simultaneously or in stages, after Hizbullah commits to giving proof to a German mediator that it would initially release two IDF soldiers, and that a day after Lebanese prisoners would be released as demanded by Hizbullah.
"We were very happy if this was an exact report and we could see Ehud at home in two weeks," said a family member of kidnapped soldier Ehud Goldwasser. "But we are realistic people and it's difficult for us to believe that if the Israeli government does not know about the negotiations as those described, that it is really happening," the family member added.
Hizbullah denied the Egyptian report. Hizbullah faction head in the Lebanese parliament, Muhammad Ra'ad, said Sunday: "We have no information about this issue other than what we are hearing about from the Israelis," he said. Ra'ad added that his organization is "following the movements of the others in this issue but there is no additional information."
Peretz: Blockade to continue
Defense Minister Amir Peretz addressed the government meeting on Lebanon and said that "Hizbullah is collecting points in the race for recovery through Iranian backing, and is basing its activities mainly in the civilian sphere, against the lack of international action."
Peretz added that in Lebanon the discussion on disarming Hizbullah is becoming eminent. He added that the IDF will remain in southern Lebanon until the arrival of a multinational force.
"The aerial and naval blockade remains. The coordination between the IDF, the Lebanese army, and UNIFIL is good and serious. The expectation of the international community to monitor the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon continues. The IDF is continuing its activities in nature reserves. A significant number of Hizbullah arms caches have been located," he said.
Peretz authorized at the end the entrance of 15 SLA families into Israel as a humanitarian act.
News agencies contributed to the report
