Lebanese prisoners in Israel

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Lebanese prisoners in Israel have been a source of contention between Lebanon and Israel and were an issue in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. The number of such detainees is disputed. According to the Lebanese organisation Hezbollah there are currently four known Lebanese citizens in Israeli prisons. Hezbollah has demanded the release of these prisoners as as condition for releasing Israeli reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, captured in the raid which sparked the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Israel admits to holding just three Lebanese prisoners.^[1]

1 Context
2 Persons named by Hezbollah
3 Missing persons, according to the Lebanese government
4 Missing persons
5 Deceased militants allegedly kept in Israel
6 See also
7 Sources
8 External links

[edit] Context

Israel entered Lebanon in June 1982, in Operation Peace of the Galilee meant to remove the military activity of the PLO and Syrian forces in Lebanon, near and beyond the Israeli border. With U.S. assistance, Israel and Lebanon reached a withrawal accord in May 1983 which was cancelled by Lebanon, due to pressure from Syria, on March 1984. In 1985 Israel withdrew most of its troops, leaving the South Lebanon Army, an Israeli-supported militia in southern Lebanon in a security buffer zone which Israel considered necessary to prevent attacks on its northern territory. Israel relinquished the security zone and withrew behind the Blue Line in May 2000.

[edit] Persons named by Hezbollah

Hezbollah has named four individuals who it says are Lebanese citizens currently held in Israeli jails.

Samir Kuntar is serving four life sentences for murder for a 1979 attack on a civilian apartment block in Nahariya, Israel.

Nissim Nasser is an Israeli of Lebanese descent who was arrested in 2002 for spying for Hezbollah.^[1]

Yehia Skaff is accused of participating in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre. Israel has not confirmed that it is holding Skaff, but according to Hezbollah, several former Lebanese detainees claim to have seen him in prison.

Ali Faratan is a fisherman.^[1] Hezbollah gave no reason for his alleged detention.

Hezbollah initially demanded the release of Kuntar, Nasser, and Skaff at the time of the 2004 Israel-Hezbollah prisoner exchange, but Israel refused.

[edit] Missing persons, according to the Lebanese government

See also: Khiam detention center

The factual accuracy of this article is disputed.
Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.

In addition to the above, the following people were listed in a letter dated March 2004 to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights by Lebanon's UN permanent representative as having been arrested during the 1982 Israeli occupation of Lebanon and still missing. The allegations are disputed by Israel.

Mooussa El Sheikh Selman, from Maarka village. Said to have been arrested on June 8, 1982 and wounded when transported by an ICRC staffer from the rest house of Tyre to the field hospital of the Israeli army near Mealliya. His fate remains unknown.

Bilal Samadi, said to have been seized on June 4, 1982 with five other persons on the bridge of the Awali River following an Israeli ambush.

Ibrahim Zein El Din, a teacher in Baaklin Secondary School. Said to have been seized by the Israeli forces at his fiancée’s house on October 8, 1982 and transferred to the Israeli intelligence center located then in Ras El Jabal in Aley (Mount Lebanon). Two of his friends, Nazih Abou Ajram and Mounir Chami, who were arrested later on, professed to having seen him chained and naked with torture marks on his body.

Mohamad Said El Jarrar, from Chebaa village. Said to have been seized in 1979 by Israeli forces and imprisoned in Tal Nahas camp, then transferred to Israeli intelligence in Metlli. Toufic Fakhouri, one of the released detainees, has allegedly said to have recognized Mohamad El Jarrar in 1987, in one of the Israeli detention centers located in Ramallah.

Jamil Amhaz, Said to have been kidnapped by the Israeli forces in 1984. According to his family, he is imprisoned in the Chateh jail in Israel. Israel denies this.

Mohamad Ali Hawa, Said to have been arrested by the Israeli forces in 1984 on Bater crossing in Jezzine (Lebanon) and taken to the Aber center. Allegedly, his mother saw him wounded with a bleeding leg.

Mohamad Ali Gharib is said to have been kidnapped on August 12, 1984 by the Israeli forces on the Bater crossing in Jezzine. He was allegedly transferred to the Homsieh hill then to Israel. His family reported that the freed detainee Ali Noura has reported to have seen him in Atlit prison in 1985.

Hassan Ramez Ballout was said to have been arrested in 1984, in his hometown Kfarmelky by the Israeli forces. Ballout allegedly stayed in the Jezzine barracks for eight months and was told to be wounded with infections in his leg. His fate remains unknown.

Maher Kassir from Deir Kanoun el Naher village. He was allegedly kidnapped by the Israeli forces on June 17, 1984 in the area of the Sciences University located in Chweifat, southern Beirut. His fate is unknown.

Mohamad El Abouchi from Mina in northern Lebanon. He was said to have been kidnapped in 1990. His family asserts that he is detained in Israel. Israel denies this.

Jammal Habba from Sidon, southern Lebanon was said to have been kidnapped at the Barbarra checkpoint in 1982. His family asserts that he is in Israel. Israel denies this.