Israel Set To Release More Palestinian Prisoners to Hezbollah

UNITED NATIONS — Even after handing over a high-value prisoner to Hezbollah in return for the bodies of two soldiers, Israel could soon release hundreds of Palestinian Arabs held in its jails, according to a letter from Secretary-General Ban.

In last night's letter to the U.N. Security Council, Mr. Ban sums up recent letters from the Israeli government's point man on prisoner exchanges, Ofer Dekel, and the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in which both sides acknowledge that further Israel will make further concessions.

Mr. Ban quotes Mr. Dekel as saying Israel has agreed to release Palestinian Arabs subject to its "exclusive discretion concerning the quantity and characterization of the prisoners" and based on "humanitarian" consideration. Mr. Nasrallah demands in his letter that the release correspond to the "high number of innocent victims" in the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, and that as a "minimum requirement" Israel should release all minors, women, and elderly, which according to a nongovernmental organization he cites "go into hundreds" of prisoners.

Mr. Ban commends Israel's willingness to help resolve humanitarian issues stemming from the 2006 war. The government of Prime Minister Olmert has been criticized inside Israel and abroad for raising Mr. Nasrallah's statue by releasing a convicted Lebanese murderer, Samir Kuntar, in return for the two soldiers' bodies.