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Beirut welcomes freed prisoners Beirut welcomes freed prisoners
(20 minutes later)
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has personally welcomed five militants released by Israel after they arrived in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has personally welcomed five militants released by Israel after they arrived in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.
The Israelis handed over the prisoners, along with the remains of 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, in exchange for the remains of two soldiers.The Israelis handed over the prisoners, along with the remains of 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, in exchange for the remains of two soldiers.
Their capture in 2006 sparked a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah.Their capture in 2006 sparked a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Greeting the five returnees, Sheikh Nasrallah said the "age of defeats" was over and that of victories had arrived.Greeting the five returnees, Sheikh Nasrallah said the "age of defeats" was over and that of victories had arrived.
Hezbollah shows the coffins containing the bodies of the Israeli soldiers Hezbollah displayed coffins containing the bodies of the Israeli soldiers
The Israeli soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, were seized in 2006 but until now there had been no confirmation of their deaths.The Israeli soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, were seized in 2006 but until now there had been no confirmation of their deaths.
The two Israeli soldiers are due to be given military funerals on Thursday. They are due to be given military funerals on Thursday.
Israeli generals informed their families of their deaths personally, following their identification by Israeli forensic experts. The prisoners crossed into Lebanon in an exchange mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Earlier, relatives broke into tears on seeing TV images of Hezbollah handing over the two coffins. Changing into combat fatigues, they stopped briefly in the coastal town of Naqoura before being flown to Beirut, where Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and other officials greeted them before Sheikh Nasrallah emerged to make a rare public appearance.
The Lebanese prisoners crossed into Lebanon after being taken to Israel's Rosh Hanikra border crossing, the exchange mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Changing into combat fatigues, they were given a jubilant reception in the coastal town of Naqoura before being flown to the capital, Beirut, where Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and other officials greeted them.
Lorries were conveying the remains of the dead fighters, who include both Lebanese and Palestinians.
Red carpetRed carpet
Lebanon has declared a national holiday to mark the swap, which leaves Israel with no more Hezbollah militants in its custody. Tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters, some travelling by car or scooter, converged on the south of the Lebanese capital for a rally to celebrate the prisoners' release and listen to the group's leader speak.
The BBC's Crispin Thorold in Beirut says the exchange is a moment of jubilation for Hezbollah, who are claiming the deal as a victory.
PRISONER EXCHANGE From Hezbollah: Bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and remains of other Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon in 2006From Israel: Five Lebanese prisoners, including Samir Qantar, and remains of some 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters Outlook bleak despite exchangeGermany's success as mediatorIn pictures: Prisoner exchangePRISONER EXCHANGE From Hezbollah: Bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and remains of other Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon in 2006From Israel: Five Lebanese prisoners, including Samir Qantar, and remains of some 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters Outlook bleak despite exchangeGermany's success as mediatorIn pictures: Prisoner exchange
The Lebanese president welcomed the five ex-prisoners to Beirut as "resistance fighters coming back from the prisons of the occupier". Sheikh Nasrallah's message, delivered in his first public appearance since September 2006 to cheering crowds, was that Hezbollah could not be defeated.
Hassan Nasrallah's public appearance to welcome the prisoners was his first since September 2006. The best-known and most controversial of the released prisoners, gunman Samir Qantar who was jailed in 1979 for killing a four-year-old Israeli girl and two other people, also spoke.
He was cheered by thousands of flag-waving supporters. He hailed Lebanon's "great Islamic resistance".
Earlier, hundreds of spectators in southern Lebanon cheered as the men were given a hero's welcome by Hezbollah leaders. It is clear Hezbollah means to extract the maximum possible publicity from this event, the BBC's Crispin Thorold reports from the rally.
Martial music blared as the five walked down a red carpet in Naqoura. Earlier, President Suleiman welcomed the five ex-prisoners at Beirut airport as "resistance fighters coming back from the prisons of the occupier".
Under the deal - the fruit of two years of delicate German mediation - Hezbollah is also to return the remains of Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon in 2006. The country's most important politicians, from across the sectarian and factional divide, were present, our correspondent notes.
Hezbollah supporters converged on the south of the city
The event, which has caused so much pain in Israel, is being treated as a triumph in Lebanon, by supporters and opponents of Hezbollah alike, he adds.
Under the exchange - the fruit of two years of delicate German mediation - Hezbollah is also to return the remains of Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon in 2006.
The agreement has caused controversy in Israel, with some ministers opposed to exchanging live Hezbollah prisoners for dead bodies.The agreement has caused controversy in Israel, with some ministers opposed to exchanging live Hezbollah prisoners for dead bodies.
But Israel says it has a moral obligation to bring its soldiers home.
Israel's cabinet gave its final approval for the prisoner exchange on Tuesday.
Qantar controversyQantar controversy
The five Lebanese prisoners freed include Samir Qantar, in jail since 1979 for a deadly guerrilla raid in which he killed three Israelis, including a child. Qantar had been in jail since 1979 for a deadly guerrilla raid in which he killed three Israelis, including a child.
The killings were particularly brutal, making his release controversial in Israel. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYWhat kind of pathology can cause a society to celebrate such evil?Avi, London class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5115&edition=2&ttl=20080716113808">Send us your comments
Qantar was serving several life sentences for murder for attacking a civilian apartment block in the Israeli coastal town Nahariya in 1979 along with three other gunmen who landed by dinghy from Lebanon. His imprisonment was arguably a catalyst for the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, our correspondent says, as Lebanese militants captured the two Israeli soldiers to demand his release.
A policeman, and a father and his four-year-old daughter, were killed. A baby girl was accidentally smothered by her mother as she hid in a cupboard during the attack.
Qantar has said he does not remember killing the four-year-old, who was battered to death with a rifle butt after her father was shot.
Two of the other gunmen with Qantar were killed. A third was jailed but later freed in a prisoner swap in 1985.
Qantar's imprisonment was arguably a catalyst for the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, our correspondent says, as Lebanese militants captured the two Israeli soldiers to demand his release.
HAVE YOUR SAYI am deeply saddened by our present inept Israeli government at allowing such a preposterous and blatantly immoral dealGila, JerusalemSend us your comments
Ehud Goldwasser's father, Shlomo Goldwasser, said he was mystified by the Lebanese celebrations, coming after the recent war with Israel.Ehud Goldwasser's father, Shlomo Goldwasser, said he was mystified by the Lebanese celebrations, coming after the recent war with Israel.
"I cannot understand what the Lebanese are so glad about and happy about," he said."I cannot understand what the Lebanese are so glad about and happy about," he said.
"They sacrificed over 700 of their best warriors and all their economy, and what they get for what they did is a murderer, a bloody murderer of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl and her father - and for this they are making all this glory, for this they sacrificed so much. So I feel only pity for them." "They sacrificed over 700 of their best warriors and all their economy, and what they get for what they did is a murderer, a bloody murderer..."
Hezbollah withheld any information about when the soldiers had died and never released pictures of them in captivity, leaving it unclear whether they had been killed in the original raid.Hezbollah withheld any information about when the soldiers had died and never released pictures of them in captivity, leaving it unclear whether they had been killed in the original raid.
However, one Hezbollah official quoted by Lebanese TV on Wednesday confirmed that both soldiers had been seriously injured during the raid, and later died of their injuries.However, one Hezbollah official quoted by Lebanese TV on Wednesday confirmed that both soldiers had been seriously injured during the raid, and later died of their injuries.