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Last update - 04:14 30/06/2008
Festive welcome awaits prisoners in Lebanese towns
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Lebanon, Samir Kuntar 

Lebanese families are feverishly preparing to welcome home the Lebanese prisoners Israel is set to free as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah. The prisoners' families have begun festooning their homes with Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, and reception ceremonies are being planned in major towns.

In downtown Sidon on Sunday, political activists decorated a central city square, the site of an installation two years ago depicting longtime Lebanese prisoner Samir Kuntar, who murdered an Israeli family in Nahariya in 1979, behind prison bars.

"We will not vacate this spot until Kuntar comes here himself," a young female activist said Sunday.
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The preparations come as Israel's cabinet voted Sunday to approve the prisoner swap. According to the deal, Hezbollah will return Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the Israeli reservists it abducted in a 2006 cross-border raid that sparked the Second Lebanon War, in exchange for Israel's return of Kuntar, four Hezbollah militants, the remains of Lebanese citizens and several dozen Palestinian prisoners. The swap is expected to take place by July 12, the second anniversary of Hezbollah's abduction of Goldwasser and Regev.

Hezbollah television station Al Manar launched round-the-clock broadcasts on the cabinet vote. It said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had backed down from his stated position that Kuntar would be released only in return for information on the fate of missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad.

"Today the promise of the resistance was kept," the smiling announcer said, using the station's term for Hezbollah. "In a few more days Kuntar will put all his years in jail behind him."

Hezbollah is marketing the deal as a major success for the organization and its militant ideology, and is making no reference to issues on which it made concessions.

"Our prisoners are freed not by words and not by diplomacy or tears and kisses," the Al Manar newscast began on Sunday. "Only blood liberated the land and liberates man."

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      1.   "Only blood liberates" 05:28  |  David G 30/06/08
      2.   Sounds like they are ready to do some more"liberating" 06:18  |  PETER SM 30/06/08
      3.   To Dutch and Clickfool - here is your proud society 08:10  |  Joe Sittizen 30/06/08
      4.   Lebanon Rolling Out A Hand-Made Blood-Red Carpet For Kuntar 09:12  |  Lavi 30/06/08
      5.   Where are the supporters of "proportionate response"? 09:33  |  Joe Sittizen 30/06/08
      6.   Proportionate response? 09:50  |  Natallie Durson 30/06/08
      7.   And Shalom Achshav will be in the welcoming committee 09:57  |  Binyamin Dissen 30/06/08
      8.   Lebanese `heroes` have a history of hostage taking 10:17  |  Paul Henzen 30/06/08
      9.   Ignorant Jew-obssessed Natalie wrong again. 10:20  |  Palestiniansareamyth 30/06/08
      10.   Festivities,dancing in the streets,handing out candy 10:23  |  PETER SM 30/06/08
      11.   # 4 Durson - What about the Israeli civilian victims? 10:33  |  Paul Henzen 30/06/08
      12.   Let Hezbo welcome it`s hero. 11:20  |  Jo 30/06/08
      13.   The Arab-Israeli conflict in a nutshell 11:27  |  Steve 30/06/08
      14.   REPLY TO #6 Natallie Durson 11:38  |  MJ 30/06/08
      15.   Hezbullah Society 11:39  |  US CITIZEN 30/06/08
      16.   birds of feather flock together 12:20  |  Salah 30/06/08
      17.   Paul Henzen and Palestiniansare... 12:37  |  FreeOne 30/06/08
      18.   Paul Henzen - Thanks for the enlightenment 12:40  |  Natallie Durson 30/06/08
      19.   # 18 Durson - You`re welcome! Enlightenment is what you need! 15:58  |  Paul Henzen 30/06/08
      20.   US CITIZEN, Israel is calling you up... 17:02  |  BBSNews 30/06/08
      21.   Gosh, Natallie, should we thus start shooting at Gaza? 17:27  |  Joe Sittizen 30/06/08
      22.   Durson, get your facts straight 17:37  |  Joe Sittizen 30/06/08
      23.   Damn fool Israelis 18:04  |  Juanita D 30/06/08
      24.   "Joe Sittizen" on the "bottom line" 18:36  |  BBSNews 30/06/08
      25.   "Joe Sittizen" on the "straight facts" 18:54  |  BBSNews 30/06/08
      26.   Metulla`s families own farmland now in Southern Lebanon. 20:54  |  Steve 30/06/08
      27.   Steve on Shebaa Famrs 21:58  |  BBSNews 30/06/08
      28.   Not Every Lebanese is Celebrating 02:38  |  Khalil 01/07/08
      29.   More BS than News 06:14  |  Steve 01/07/08
      30.   Ahhh Steve, so you actually looked... 08:43  |  BBSNews 01/07/08
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