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 16 October 2008 04:33 BST

Rally for 'Lebanese heroes' as Israel buries soldiers

Thursday, 17 Jul 2008 19:33
Five prisoners returned to Lebanon receive heroes' welcome as Israel prepares to bury two soldiers returned in exchange

In Focus 

Five prisoners returned to Lebanon by Israel in exchange for the bodies of two soldiers have attended a rally in their honour.

But as the five men – including notorious killer Samir Kuntar – were given a heroes' welcome, Israel was to bury reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah, making his first public appearance since January at the rally in south Beirut, said the day was a "victory" for the Lebanese people.

"This people and this nation and this country that gave a clear picture to the world – [it] cannot be defeated."

Kuntar meanwhile, who was convicted of four murders following a 1979 raid upon the Israeli town of Nahariya – said the occasion of his freedom was "a day of victories".

At the rally, also attended by Lebanese president Michel Suleiman and prime minister Fouad Siniora, Kuntar told Palestinians the "valiant Islamic resistance [is] returning".

As part of yesterday's exchange, Israel also returned the bodies of 199 Hizbullah and Palestinian fighters. They are due to be mourned on Thursday.

Click here for more on the Israel-Hizbullah exchange

In Israel, the families of Mr Goldwasser, 31, and Mr Regev, 27, were preparing to bury the soldiers.

Mr Goldwasser's funeral is due to be held in his hometown of Nahariya, while Mr Regev will be buried in the military section of Haifa's cemetery.

Their capture on July 12th 2006 sparked a 33-day conflict between Hizbullah and Israel, but according to reports the two soldiers may have died in the hours after the raid upon their border patrol.

Despite the seemingly unequal terms of the exchange, in Israel the public perception of the handover has been one of a grim necessity, with the Israel Defence Forces feeling obliged to bring its soldiers home.End of story


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