Israel Matzav

And now Grapel?

Israel Hayom is reporting that US-Israeli dual citizen Ilan Grapel is also on the verge of being released. In exchange for some more terrorists.

Ilan Grapel, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen arrested in Egypt in June on espionage charges, is expected to be released from Egyptian custody just days after Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit, who has been held in Gaza for more than five years, returns home, Israeli officials confirmed on Monday, according to Israel Radio.

The confirmation follows a report in the Egyptian state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper, which said Israel has agreed to release 81 Egyptian citizens currently held in Israeli prisons in exchange for Grapel's freedom.

"All reports suggest that the Shalit deal will not be the only one concluded between Arabs and Israel in the coming days," Al-Ahram reported. The Shalit deal, the article said, will "soon be followed by another deal, between Egypt and Israel, in which the spy Ilan Grapel ... will be released in return for all Egyptians held in Israeli prisons."

Great. So any time a foreign national is arrested in Israel, all their country has to do is kidnap an Israeli, charge him with spying if it's at all relevant, and sure as night follows day, an 'exchange' will be made for the foreign national's release.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Egyptian Revolution, Ilan Grapel, Mossad

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:34 PM