Six Hezbollah detainees being held by Israel since the second Lebanon war will petition the High Court of Justice on Wednesday, asking that they be recognized as prisoners of war.

Attorneys for the six, Semadar Ben-Nati and Itai Hermalin, who were appointed by the Public Defender's Office, are also to ask the court to allow their clients to be visited by the International Red Cross.

Israel has blocked such visits after Red Cross representatives saw the men only twice.

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Israel's attitude in this case contradicts its policy, which allows the Red Cross to visit foreign nationals imprisoned in Israel, including terrorists, whom Israel does not recognize as prisoners of war. The stance in this case is a response to Hezbollah's refusal to allow Red Cross representatives to meet with the two Israel Defense Forces soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.

Meanwhile, various official bodies are placing responsibility for the issue of the Hezbollah prisoners at each other's doors. Ten days ago the IDF set up an interview for the Al Arabiya news network and Maariv journalist Chen Kotes-Bar to talk to two of the six detainees captured in Lebanon and who are being held at two prisons.

A Prisons Service spokeswoman asked about this report said she was unable to respond, but added that the Red Cross could visit the detainees in the future, without specifying a date.

An IDF spokesman said the matter is not under its jurisdiction, and the interview was not coordinated with it. The spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said he was unaware of the matter. The Shin Bet security service also said the Hezbollah prisoners were not its responsibility.

Among the six detainees is Hussein Sleiman, who was not allowed to participate in the interview. He took part indirectly in the kidnapping of Goldwasser and Regev. According to Sleiman's version of events, he was in the group waiting in ambush for Israeli vehicles, but he says he was waiting in case additional Israeli vehicles came to the area to try to free the abducted soldiers. He did not fire his weapon nor take part in the battle, he claims.

All six have been indicted in the Nazareth District Court on charges of membership in a terror organization, prohibited underground military training and the attempted murder of IDF soldiers. The six allegedly were trained in Iran by the Revolutionary Guards.

Meanwhile, Physicians for Human Rights has written to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter that it has information that jail conditions for Hezbollah detainees are harsh, and they have not been issued proper winter clothing. The Prisons Service spokeswoman denied the claim, saying they are being held under the same conditions as all other prisoners.