Israel and Hezbollah close to prisoner swap: source

BEIRUT-Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel are putting the final touches to an agreement to exchange prisoners, a Lebanese political source said on Wednesday.The deal, mediated by a U.N.-appointed German negotiator, would see Hezbollah returning two Israeli soldiers captured in 2006 for four Lebanese prisoners and the bodies of about 10 Hezbollah fighters. It is not clear whether either of the Israelis is still alive."The two sides are putting the final touches on the swap deal," the source said. "There are some minor details that must be completed and afterwards logistical preparations would be needed."The source, who requested anonymity, said it would take at least 10 days before the swap happens. He gave no further details.Asked earlier about possible progress on a swap, German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said: "Due to the nature of the topic I cannot make any comment."Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack in July 2006 to exchange for Lebanese and Arab prisoners held by Israel. Israel waged a 34-day offensive in Lebanon after the two army reservists-Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev-were snatched, but then entered indirect talks on retrieving them. Relatives of one of the two captive soldiers said on Monday they had been told by an Israeli negotiator that a German-mediated prisoner swap was coming together. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1834836620080618
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