MIDDLE EAST: In a further sign that a prisoner-swap deal between Israel and Hizbollah is likely, Israeli Defence Minister Mr Shaul Mofaz confirmed yesterday that progress had been made in negotiations between the sides.
But he ruled out the possibility that the deal would include the release of Mr Marwan Barghouti, the most senior Palestinian in jail in Israel and one of the leaders of the intifada uprising.
Two senior Israeli defence officials were in Germany yesterday to continue talks with Mr Ernst Urlau, who has been mediating the prisoner-swap deal and who is representing Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's office.
For its part, Israel will have to release Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid and Mr Mustafa Dirani, both Lebanese guerilla leaders it abducted from Lebanon in 1989 and 1994 respectively - to use as bargaining chips to win the release of Israeli navigator Mr Ron Arad. He has been missing since he bailed out of his plane over Lebanon in 1986.
But the deal that appears to be taking shape will not include Mr Arad. Hizbollah is expected to release an Israeli businessman it is holding captive, Mr Elhanan Tenenbaum, as well as three Israeli soldiers who were snatched by the Iranian-backed Shiite group three years ago. The army has since declared these three war casualties whose place of burial is unknown.
The East Jerusalem-based Al Quds newspaper reported yesterday that the prisoner swap would take place two days after the holiday marking the Jewish New Year, which ends on Sunday evening. It also said Israel would free 215 Palestinians and 185 other prisoners. Mr Mofaz dismissed reports that Mr Barghouti would be part of the deal, saying Israel had "no intention" of releasing him. The head of the Fatah party in the West Bank, Mr Barghouti is on trial in Israel for alleged involvement in attacks that killed 26 Israelis. In Gaza yesterday, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian militant as he headed towards the settlement of Dugit.