First phase of historic swap expected today
Israelis and Palestinians were waiting with bated breath for the planned release Tuesday of a first tranche of 477 Palestinian prisoners in return for an end to the more than five-year captivity of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
In all, Israel is due to free 1,027 Palestinians under the terms of the hard-won deal for Shalit's freedom.
Hundreds of them were serving life sentences for killing Israelis. Their release will be the highest price ever paid by the Jewish state for one person.
If all goes to plan, it will be the first time in 26 years that a captured soldier has been returned to Israel alive.
In Israel, the nation was eagerly awaiting the first images of the now 25-year-old soldier, who has been held incommunicado ever since his capture by three Gaza-based militant groups in a deadly cross-border raid in 2006.
Last week, his family left the Jerusalem protest tent they had been living in for nearly 16 months and returned to their home in Mitzpe Hila in northern Israel to prepare for his homecoming.
Preparations for big celebrations were also under way across the Palestinian territories to welcome home militants regarded as heroes.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon hailed the Egyptian-brokered deal. "The recent announcement of the exchange of prisoners is welcome, it is a positive movement for peace," he said.
A poll released on Monday found that eight out of 10 Israelis backed the deal, with just 14 per cent saying they disagreed with it.
Among those opposing the deal is victims' group Almagor, as well as several bereaved families who presented four petitions to the High Court on Monday in a bid to secure an 11th-hour halt to the release of the prisoners.
In an emotional hearing, with many speakers close to tears, Almagor head Meir Indor said that Shalit's captors had held everyone to ransom.
"Hamas kidnapped not just Gilad but his family and all of Israeli society," Indor said, as Shalit's father, Noam, sat silent and expressionless on the front bench of the packed courtroom.
The court has never in its history overturned a government decision to free prisoners involved in militant attacks.
Among the prisoners to be released are Walid Anjas, who received 36 life sentences over a 2002 attack on a Jerusalem bar that killed 11 Israelis, and Nasr Yateyma, who was convicted of planning the 2002 Passover bombing which killed 29.
Others were involved in kidnapping and killing Israeli soldiers.
Israeli officials have acknowledged the deal will be painful for the bereaved relatives but said the agreement was the best deal that could be reached.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Palestinians+Israelis+prepare+celebrations/5564699/story.html#ixzz1bvFbACaz
