Report: Kuntar to be freed within month
Lebanese media reports Israel to release murderer of Haran family by end of June, has already instructed Kuntar to pack belongings
The Hizbullah-affiliated Lebanese daily al-Diar reports that Samir Kuntar stands to be released from Israeli prison in a matter of days, weeks at the most.
The paper quotes sources as saying with certainty that Kuntar and other prisoners are scheduled to be freed by the end of June at the latest.
Al-Diar further reports that administrative officials from Kuntar's prison have instructed the high-profile inmate to begin packing his belongings, tools and books in preparation of his eventual return to Lebanon.
The Israeli Prison Service denied the report and told Ynet no plans have been made towards Kuntar's release and no instructions have been handed down to him.
Earlier this month Lebanese prisoner Nissim Nasser was released back to Lebanon after having completed the prison term to which he was sentenced after being convicted of spying for Hizbullah.
With his release, Hizbullah transferred a casket to Israel containing the remains of IDF soldiers killed in the Second Lebanon War.
Estimates prior to Nasser's release indicate that this was likely the first step in a future prisoner exchange deal that will culminate in the return of kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. Israel, on its part, will release six prisoners, including Samir Kuntar.
Israeli officials stressed however that the unexpected return of the soldiers' remains had not been coordinated in any way with Hizbullah.
