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Egypt to free alleged Israeli spy Grapel in swap deal | Egypt to free alleged Israeli spy Grapel in swap deal |
(about 4 hours later) | |
An Israeli-American held by Egypt as an alleged spy is to be released in exchange for 25 Egyptians held in Israeli prisons. | An Israeli-American held by Egypt as an alleged spy is to be released in exchange for 25 Egyptians held in Israeli prisons. |
Ilan Grapel is expected to arrive at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport later on Thursday and be greeted by his family. | Ilan Grapel is expected to arrive at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport later on Thursday and be greeted by his family. |
The Egyptians were being moved to the Taba border crossing with Egypt ahead of the swap. | |
Egypt accused Mr Grapel of spying for Israel, but Israel and his family said he was working for a charity in Cairo. | |
His relatives say he made no attempt to disguise the fact that he had served in the Israeli army during its war in Lebanon in 2006. | |
There has also been widespread scepticism in Egypt that Mr Grapel really was an Israeli spy. | There has also been widespread scepticism in Egypt that Mr Grapel really was an Israeli spy. |
He was arrested on 12 June and accused of trying to stir up sectarian strife in Cairo on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad. | He was arrested on 12 June and accused of trying to stir up sectarian strife in Cairo on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad. |
The Egyptian prisoners to be released in exchange for Mr Grapel are described as Bedouin and include three children. | The Egyptian prisoners to be released in exchange for Mr Grapel are described as Bedouin and include three children. |
They are believed to be mostly smugglers, asylum seekers and people looking for work. | They are believed to be mostly smugglers, asylum seekers and people looking for work. |
Israel stressed in its statement that none of the Egyptians had been involved in security-related crimes. | Israel stressed in its statement that none of the Egyptians had been involved in security-related crimes. |
Israel's security cabinet approved the exchange on Tuesday. On Wednesday the Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a victims' rights group against the swap, saying it was a political decision outside the court's jurisdiction. | |
A similar appeal against the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit was also rejected. | |
Last week Israel released the first batch of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier. | |
He had been held by the militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, since 2006. | He had been held by the militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, since 2006. |
It appears the deal to release Mr Grapel was negotiated around the same time as the Shalit exchange, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem. | It appears the deal to release Mr Grapel was negotiated around the same time as the Shalit exchange, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem. |
It shows that Egypt is still capable of dealing with Israel on business-like terms and reminds regional rivals such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia that Cairo's influence is real, despite the change of government, our correspondent says. |