Region | Palestinian Territories
Israel pardons Kantar before prisoner swap
Israel formally pardoned Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar on Tuesday, clearing the way for his release through a prisoner swap deal with Lebanon's Hezbollah group.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:35 July 15, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- Israel formally pardoned Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar for a lethal 1979 attack, for the sake of freeing two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah guerrillas in 2006.
Occupied Jerusalem: Israel formally pardoned Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar on Tuesday, clearing the way for his release through a prisoner swap deal with Lebanon's Hezbollah group scheduled for Wednesday, an official said.
Israeli President Shimon Peres's bureau said in a statement he had "taken this difficult decision" to grant a pardon under the law to the Palestinian serving a life sentence for a lethal 1979 attack, for the sake of freeing two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah guerrillas in 2006.
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