Post by Salem6 on Jan 29, 2004 23:08:20 GMT
Huge crowds have greeted Hezbollah militants freed by Israel as they arrived back in Beirut.
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud was among thousands waiting at the airport for a plane carrying the ex-detainees after a historic prisoner exchange.
Beirut rolled out the red carpet for Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid
Israel held its own ceremonies to honour the return of the bodies of three soldiers killed in Lebanon.
But a kidnapped businessman who was also released may face legal action on his return to Israel.
The Israeli authorities also freed about 400 Palestinian prisoners and returned the remains of fighters to meet its part of the deal with the Lebanese militant group.
The controversial exchange went ahead despite a suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem which killed at least 10 people plus the attacker.
Hundreds of people lined the road to Beirut airport, many waving Hezbollah flags, while inside there was a red-carpet welcome.
DETAINEE DEAL DETAILS
Hezbollah releases:
Israeli businessman Elhanan Tannenbaum
Remains of three Israeli soldiers
Israel releases:
400 Palestinian prisoners
35 Arab fighters
Remains of 60 militants
Mr Lahoud and Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah welcomed the return of the Lebanese, who included senior Hezbollah member Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid, held by Israel for 15 years, and Mustafa Dirani, captured in 1994.
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah was "more determined than ever" to continue the fight against the Jewish state, warning more Israelis would be kidnapped to secure the release of Lebanese prisoners if necessary.
The freed prisoners had been flown in from an airbase in Cologne, Germany, which had been used as neutral territory for the exchange.
The swap began early on Thursday when Israeli officials confirmed that coffins sent by Hezbollah did contain the remains of three missing soldiers.
The guerrillas had only confirmed a day earlier that the troops - who went missing near the Lebanese border in October 2000 - were dead.
Honours and questions
Major-General Gil Regev, the officer in charge of securing the release of Israeli prisoners, said the return of the three bodies and of the businessman, Elhanan Tannenbaum brought both relief and pain.
"It is great to have them return home, but it brings the pain back to us again because it is finally the moment of saying goodbye," he told the French AFP news agency.
Israel strives to recover its missing citizens, or their remains
The BBC's David Chazan at Tel Aviv airport says Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon joined relatives for the return of the soldiers, who will be buried will full military honours.
But he adds there was no hero's welcome for Mr Tannenbaum who was kidnapped in the same month as the soldiers disappeared.
After a brief family reunion, he will face questioning and possible legal action over reports that he may have been trying to conclude a dubious business deal, when he was abducted, our correspondent says.
BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says Israel is always keen to recover its citizens but is paying a heavy price.
"Many Arabs credit Hezbollah with forcing Israel out of southern Lebanon almost four years ago. The prisoner exchange will be seen as a Hezbollah victory at a time when the Arab world has little to feel pleased about," he says.
Completing its part of the deal - brokered by Germany after years of talks - Israel released about 400 Palestinian prisoners.
"Israel will not allow any enemy or terror group to turn kidnapping and ransom into a system" Ariel Sharon
Many prayed and kissed the ground as they reached checkpoints leading to their homes in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
But some complained that most of the prisoners released in the exchange were scheduled to be released soon anyway.
Some Israeli politicians, however, opposed the swap, saying it could strengthen militant groups and encourage future kidnappings.
Mr Sharon warned that "Israel will not allow any enemy or terror group to turn kidnapping and ransom into a system".
But he said the prisoner exchange deal was the "right moral and ethical decision".
Still missing
Further prisoner exchanges are yet to be agreed between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel said its aim in releasing the senior Hezbollah figures was to use them as bargaining chips for information about a missing airman.
Israeli navigator Ron Arad went missing after his plane crashed in Lebanon in 1986.
News of his whereabouts could be secured in return for the release of Samir Qantar, a Lebanese militant who has been held in Israeli jails since 1979.
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud was among thousands waiting at the airport for a plane carrying the ex-detainees after a historic prisoner exchange.
Beirut rolled out the red carpet for Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid
Israel held its own ceremonies to honour the return of the bodies of three soldiers killed in Lebanon.
But a kidnapped businessman who was also released may face legal action on his return to Israel.
The Israeli authorities also freed about 400 Palestinian prisoners and returned the remains of fighters to meet its part of the deal with the Lebanese militant group.
The controversial exchange went ahead despite a suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem which killed at least 10 people plus the attacker.
Hundreds of people lined the road to Beirut airport, many waving Hezbollah flags, while inside there was a red-carpet welcome.
DETAINEE DEAL DETAILS
Hezbollah releases:
Israeli businessman Elhanan Tannenbaum
Remains of three Israeli soldiers
Israel releases:
400 Palestinian prisoners
35 Arab fighters
Remains of 60 militants
Mr Lahoud and Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah welcomed the return of the Lebanese, who included senior Hezbollah member Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid, held by Israel for 15 years, and Mustafa Dirani, captured in 1994.
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah was "more determined than ever" to continue the fight against the Jewish state, warning more Israelis would be kidnapped to secure the release of Lebanese prisoners if necessary.
The freed prisoners had been flown in from an airbase in Cologne, Germany, which had been used as neutral territory for the exchange.
The swap began early on Thursday when Israeli officials confirmed that coffins sent by Hezbollah did contain the remains of three missing soldiers.
The guerrillas had only confirmed a day earlier that the troops - who went missing near the Lebanese border in October 2000 - were dead.
Honours and questions
Major-General Gil Regev, the officer in charge of securing the release of Israeli prisoners, said the return of the three bodies and of the businessman, Elhanan Tannenbaum brought both relief and pain.
"It is great to have them return home, but it brings the pain back to us again because it is finally the moment of saying goodbye," he told the French AFP news agency.
Israel strives to recover its missing citizens, or their remains
The BBC's David Chazan at Tel Aviv airport says Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon joined relatives for the return of the soldiers, who will be buried will full military honours.
But he adds there was no hero's welcome for Mr Tannenbaum who was kidnapped in the same month as the soldiers disappeared.
After a brief family reunion, he will face questioning and possible legal action over reports that he may have been trying to conclude a dubious business deal, when he was abducted, our correspondent says.
BBC Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says Israel is always keen to recover its citizens but is paying a heavy price.
"Many Arabs credit Hezbollah with forcing Israel out of southern Lebanon almost four years ago. The prisoner exchange will be seen as a Hezbollah victory at a time when the Arab world has little to feel pleased about," he says.
Completing its part of the deal - brokered by Germany after years of talks - Israel released about 400 Palestinian prisoners.
"Israel will not allow any enemy or terror group to turn kidnapping and ransom into a system" Ariel Sharon
Many prayed and kissed the ground as they reached checkpoints leading to their homes in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
But some complained that most of the prisoners released in the exchange were scheduled to be released soon anyway.
Some Israeli politicians, however, opposed the swap, saying it could strengthen militant groups and encourage future kidnappings.
Mr Sharon warned that "Israel will not allow any enemy or terror group to turn kidnapping and ransom into a system".
But he said the prisoner exchange deal was the "right moral and ethical decision".
Still missing
Further prisoner exchanges are yet to be agreed between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel said its aim in releasing the senior Hezbollah figures was to use them as bargaining chips for information about a missing airman.
Israeli navigator Ron Arad went missing after his plane crashed in Lebanon in 1986.
News of his whereabouts could be secured in return for the release of Samir Qantar, a Lebanese militant who has been held in Israeli jails since 1979.