CARO: 25 Egyptian prisoners are to be exchanged for Israeli Ilan Grapel were transferred this afternoon from Ela detention facility in Beersheba, Israel to the Taba broder crossing. An Egyptian convoy of vehicles, including armoured cars, entered Israel through the Taba border, transporting Grapel into Israeli territory. On the border, Egyptians from Sinai are awaiting the release of their relatives, who are due to be released from Israel into Egypt over the Taba border. The exchange is scheduled to conclude Thursday evening. The release of Egyptians will begin as soon as Grapel is officially reunited with his family in Eilat. Israeli-American Grapel was arrested in June because he was accused of working as an Israeli spy inside Egypt. Israeli authorities have denied that he is a spy, though admitted to the fact that his behavior might be a bit “irresponsible.” Prior to the deal, Egyptian authorities were planning to charge him with espionage, general troublemaking and the attempted arson of a government building in Cairo. The American-brokered deal was reached right after a historic prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt. Israel published the names of the 25 prisoners on October 25, giving Israeli citizens 48 hours to file legal challenges against their release. There has been little Israeli opposition to the release of the Egyptians, however. Most of them had been detained and sentenced for smuggling or “infiltration,” as they had crossed the Israeli-Eyptian Taba border crossing without adequate papers. None of them bore severe charges of spying or attacking Israelis. Three of the prisoners have already completed their sentences. Another five were due to be freed by the end of the year, one as early as next week. Most of the freed Egyptian prisoners are Bedouin, who feel neglected by the Egyptian state as a sort of “second range” citizens. They say they are excluded from jobs, and thus must turn to smuggling, selling cigarettes or the like. “We just want to see our brother. It is a good thing from Egypt to work on freeing them,” said Mohamed el-Swarky, whose brother, Ashraf Abdallah, 18, is one of those to be released. Ashraf had been sentenced three years in prison for illegally crossing the border. His family said he had lost his way, and subsequently he spent one year in jail. Reactions on the deal from various sides have been many. Palestinian media reported Wednesday that the deal will be followed by a pledge from Washington to sell F-16 fighter jets, making more sense of a deal that might seem like a bad deal for Egypt. Israel has opposed such a weapon-trade in the past. But since the Arab spring, many see Israel as being in a weaker position, and thus more likely to bend on Egyptian demands. Palestinian news site Maan news quoted General Sameh Sayf al-Yazal as saying that Washington had been very helpful in mediating the Israeli-Egyptian deal. Observers of the deal have fiercely criticized Israel. Responding to the Israeli cabinet's approval of the Grapel swap deal, National Union Member of the Knesset, Aryeh Eldad, criticized the deal, saying that it indicated that “Israel has declared moral bankruptcy.” He critized Israeli politicians of freeing dangerous terrorists on the grounds of simple political interest. Egyptian media reported Wednesday that a second deal might be coming up. The Israeli Bedouin Ouda Tarabin was arrested in Egypt 11 years ago for spying in the Sinai. He was sentenced in absentia by an Egyptian military court to 15 years behind bars. BM
