Swapped prisoners fly back to Israel and Lebanon

In carefully choreographed moves, airliners carrying swapped prisoners landed almost simultaneously in Israel and Lebanon tonight.

At Beirut airport the freed Lebanese and other Arab prisoners – most of them fighters with Hezbollah which is regarded as a terror group by the US and Israel – were given a rousing welcome by thousands of people and senior government officials.

The German government plane had flown from a military base near Cologne where the Arab prisoners were exchanged earlier in the day for an Israeli businessman and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers killed on the Lebanese-Israeli border in 2000.

Minutes earlier, an Israeli plane landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, carrying the businessman, Elhanan Tannenbaum and the coffins of the three soldiers. Israel arranged a memorial service for the dead soldiers.

Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, a Hezbollah leader and one of the most famous prisoners released, was the first to appear when the door opened. He was kidnapped by the Israelis 15 years ago.

Sporting a long beard, he wore a white clerical Shiite Muslim turban and walked steadily.

He was followed by another famous ex-prisoner, Mustafa Dirani, a leader of Hezbollah.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, Cabinet ministers and Hezbollah guerrilla leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah were on hand at Beirut International Airport for the red carpet welcome. Thousands of Lebanese supporters of the guerrilla group lined the airport highway to greet them with flags, patriotic songs and fireworks.

Hezbollah has laid on a massive rally for the released prisoners in its south Beirut stronghold, which tens of thousands are expected to attend.

The Lebanese prisoners, whom Hezbollah’s Al Manar television said totalled 21, and seven other Arabs were flown to Germany on an Israeli Air Force plane early today.

At about the same time, a German plane took from Lebanon to Germany four Israelis captured in October 2000 – a kidnapped businessman and the bodies of three soldiers killed in an ambush.

As part of the complex German brokered deal, Israel freed about 400 Palestinians to the West Bank and Gaza Strip today. They were greeted by jubilant relatives, many of whom expressed thanks to Hezbollah.

At a border crossing in south Lebanon, Israel handed over the remains of 60 guerrillas to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

They are expected to be delivered to the Lebanese government on Friday.