Israelis free five in swap deal

The deal involved the release of long-term Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar

Israel has released five Palestinian prisoners as part of a swap deal agreed in July with Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Israeli officials said the detainees were minors not involved in any deadly violence against Israelis and whose jail terms had under 18 months to run.

Last month Israel freed five Lebanese prisoners and returned the bodies of 200 Arab fighters in the deal with the Shia militant and political movement.

Hezbollah returned remains of two soldiers it had held since 2006.

Israeli prisons spokeswoman Yarona Linhar said the five Palestinians had been jailed for hurling rocks or firebombs and would have been freed before the end of next year.

The teenagers were taken from Hasharon prison at the West Bank town of Tulkarm.

Leaders to meet

Israel agreed to free an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal seen as the final chapter of the 2006 Lebanon war - which Israel launched aiming to secure the soldiers' release.

Israeli human rights group say about 8,500 Palestinians are held in jail in Israel, including about 300 minors.

Correspondents say Hezbollah celebrated the UN-mediated swap deal as a major victory for its armed struggle against Israel.

By contrast, it was deeply mourned by Israelis, as the fate of their soldiers was only confirmed when two coffins were brought to the Israel-Lebanon border.

Wednesday's release came hours before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was due to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, part of a regular series of meetings but the first since Mr Olmert said he would resign to fight corruption allegations.