Israel released five Lebanese detainees on Thursday, who were arrested in recent months, in order to further the return of Lebanese Jewish community heads’ remains, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
A year ago, Israel also released five Lebanese detainees, who were captured during fighting, as part of negotiations with Lebanon.
The released detainees are not members or affiliated with Hezbollah, and are civilians who were detained during fighting, the PMO announced.
Israel, Lebanon negotiating exchange of civilians with remains of Jews buried in Lebanese cemeteries
Hezbollah-linked Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on August 10 that a “civilian prisoner exchange deal” was being negotiated between Israel and Lebanon, with Israeli officials raising the possibility of transferring the remains of Jews buried in Lebanese cemeteries to Israel.
According to the report, the issue arose during discussions over Lebanese prisoners and detainees held by Israel, and was specifically in relation to people classified by Israel as civilians whose affiliation with Hezbollah was not known, but who nevertheless posed a threat to IDF troops and were therefore detained.
The Israeli representatives specifically referred to what Al-Akhbar described as a significant number of remains buried in Jewish cemeteries in Beirut and Sidon.
The latest report on the talks between Lebanon and Israel was described by sources to The Jerusalem Post as “positive,” with both Israeli and Lebanese military personnel attending the negotiations in Rome.
Idan Kweller and Shir Perets contributed to this report.
