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Last update - 23:56 15/07/2008
Lebanon declares state holiday marking return of prisoners
By The Associated Press
Tags: Hezbollah, Lebanon 

A senior Hezbollah official said that Israel's approval of a prisoner swap with his group was an official admission of defeat as Lebanon declared a national holiday to celebrate the return of Lebanese fighters held in Israeli prisons.

Earlier Tuesday, the cabinet ratified a prisoner exchange deal, to be carried out Wednesday, which will see five Lebanese prisoners released and transferred to Lebanon in exchange for two Israel Defense Forces reservists abducted by the Lebanese militia in July 2006.

Hezbollah's commander in south Lebanon, Sheik Nabil Kaouk, said the prisoner exchange demonstrates Israel's "humiliating failure in confronting the resistance both militarily and politically."
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Kaouk added that he considered Israel's ratification of the deal an official admission of defeat.

Later Tuesday, the Lebanese government announced that Wednesday will be a national holiday to celebrate the "liberation of prisoners from the jails of the Israeli enemy and the return of the remains of martyrs."

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      1.   Lebanese Holiday 23:43  |  American Lebanese 15/07/08
      2.   symbol of Lebanon 23:48  |  Christina 15/07/08
      3.   Who Cares About Kuntar 23:51  |  Bernie 15/07/08
      4.   Savages 23:53  |  Steve 15/07/08
      5.   When a country celebrates the return of a cold-blooded murderer.. 00:11  |  Richard S 16/07/08
      6.   Bernie delusional antisemite! 00:17  |  Arie 16/07/08
      7.   Lebanese math 00:24  |  Joe Sittizen 16/07/08
      8.   Lebanese Holiday 00:36  |  Mona 16/07/08
      9.   A great day indeed! 00:40  |  utagawa 16/07/08
      10.   Hey Bernie, why don`t you ask your neigbors in Detroit 00:49  |  Jacob Blues 16/07/08
      11.   Lebanese holiday for Kuntar 01:16  |  Skeptic 16/07/08
      12.   one sick country 01:17  |  ilan 16/07/08
      13.   comrades, let us celebrate! 02:26  |  Leon Rosgarten 16/07/08
      14.   Most Lebanese 02:36  |  Free Gilad Shalit 16/07/08
      15.   Celebrations 03:03  |  Ariel 16/07/08
      16.   celebrations 03:53  |  debra 16/07/08
      17.   #10, RICHARD S, a one sided pathetic view 03:54  |  VIPER 16/07/08
      18.   The Madman of Dehiyeh is now foaming at the mouth 04:33  |  Sima 16/07/08
      19.   WHAT WILL THEY COME UP WITH FOR FIREWORKS:KASSAMS;THERE CHEAP TO 05:08  |  glenna 16/07/08
      20.   lebanese holiday 05:14  |  F.R. Malak 16/07/08
      21.   Jacob Blues 06:29  |  Guy From NYC 16/07/08
      22.   But We All Agree on This :::::::::::::::::::: 07:35  |  AJ 16/07/08
      23.   The heroes you choose to admire tell the world who you are 07:45  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 16/07/08
      24.   Bernie # 3 _ We All Have An Opinion! Yours Is Very Much Misguided 08:03  |  Eli 16/07/08
      25.   #1: In your dreams Lebanese american 08:16  |  Victor 16/07/08
      26.   #11: I completely agree with you 08:24  |  Victor 16/07/08
      27.   I Will Name This Holiday For Lebanon 08:24  |  Yosemite 16/07/08
      28.   monsters celebrating a monster 08:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/07/08
      29.   to Steve from Tel Aviv 08:55  |  Nonya 16/07/08
      30.   Sympathies to Israel 08:56  |  Sympathy 16/07/08
      31.   Bottom Line? 09:05  |  Natallie Durson 16/07/08
      32.   Should Israel be condemned for celebrating Ron Arad`s return? 09:08  |  Maronite 16/07/08
      33.   All of Lebanon is Kuntar 09:14  |  Ilan 16/07/08
      34.   When the cancer takes over 09:15  |  ScotGuy 16/07/08
      35.   A VETO POWER IS IN THE HAND OF HEZBOLLAH 09:32  |  indrajaya 16/07/08
      36.   Arie & Terrorism 10:05  |  Sam 16/07/08
      37.   We should establish Diplomatic Lebanese-Israeli relationships now 10:16  |  Rosarita Saab 16/07/08
      38.   an ashamed lebanese 12:08  |  abukhdeir 16/07/08
      39.   Only ONE word to describe the Israeli Leadership. 12:11  |  charlie 16/07/08
      40.   Lebanon--a Very Sick Country!!! 12:12  |  US CITIZEN 16/07/08
      41.   Child Molester Kuntar Day in Lebanon 12:21  |  Michael J 16/07/08
      42.   The IDF`s beasting of lebanon and hezbollah 12:44  |  Denise Thompson 16/07/08
      43.   Lebanon = Hezbollah 13:26  |  Thomas 16/07/08
      44.   Maronite, the bullies won`t return Arad or his bones 15:18  |  x-ray 16/07/08
      45.   richard s 5 00:59  |  potobac 17/07/08
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