(21 Jul 1996) Arabic/Eng/Nat
Two deadly enemies - Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah - put aside their conflict on Sunday for a major swap of bodies and prisoners.
In a deal negotiated by German mediators the remains of two Israeli soldiers were flown out of Lebanon, clearing the way for dozens of Hezbollah prisoners and more than a hundred bodies to sent the other way.
It's the biggest swap of prisoners and bodies between the two sides since Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was too early to say whether it marked a major change in relations.
It was an historic moment.
This International Committee of the Red Cross (I-C-R-C) ambulance in Beirut contains the exhumed remains of Israeli soldiers Rahamim Alsheikh and American-born Yosef Fink.
The two were captured in an ambush by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas in Israeli-held south Lebanon in 1986 and later died in captivity.
German mediators, led by Chancellor Helmut Kohl's top intelligence adviser, Bernd Schmidbauer mediated the swap during three months of secret talks.
It's the biggest since Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
Members of the I-C-R-C and Hezbollah signed for the bodies at a suburb near the capital.
The coffins of the Israeli soldiers were brought to Beirut airport and loaded into special containers for their flight in the unpressurised hold of the German air force plane.
After release papers were signed by both German and Red Cross officials, the plane took off for Israel.
The bodies of the two men were honoured with a military ceremony on their arrival at Tel Aviv airport.
Schmidbauer, the German mediator accompanied the bodies on the short flight.
Prayers were as the bodies were taken off the plane to begin the final stage of their journey.
Fink and Alsheikh were among six Israeli servicemen who went missing in south Lebanon between 1982 and 1986.
Only one of them -- Airman Ron Arad -- is believed to be alive.
The exchange deal had the backing of Syria, which wields influence with Hezbollah, and Iran, which funds it.
The journey ended at a funeral home in Tel Hashomer, near Tel Aviv.
Also on Sunday, as part of the complicated arrangements, Swiss I-C-R-C delegates delivered 17 S-L-A prisoners released by Hezbollah.
The handover of the S-L-A prisoners (South Lebanon Army), the Israeli-allied militia in south Lebanon, took place in Beirut's southern suburbs.
There were emotional scenes as the prisoners met their loved ones.
At a news conference in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the swaps were a step in the right direction.
But he also said it was too early to say if it signalled a significant change in relations with Hezbollah.
The two sides were involved in bloody exchanges earlier this year when Israel launched artillery and air attacks inside Lebanon in revenge for Hezbollah rocket barrages against northern Israeli towns.
SOUNDBITE:
"We hope it signals a change of attitude on the part of Hezbollah, it's too early to say. It certainly is a change of attitude on this point and we welcome it. Whether it's a change of policy on the larger question of Hezbollah attacks against the north of Israel and against our soldiers in Lebanon, I think that's a bit premature to say that now."
SUPERCAPTION: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
As part of the exchange, about 30 Hezbollah prisoners were released from the Al Khiam prison in South Lebanon.
SOUNDBITE:
They are all our brothers and we hope they will all be released.
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