TEL AVIV - Israel released 25 Egyptian prisoners in a swap for the release of Ilan Grapel, a dual American-Israeli citizen who was jailed in Cairo, reports said. Grapel met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem after his release, Haaretz reported. The 25 Egyptians, released from Ela Prison in Beersheba, southern Israel, arrived in the Egyptian city of Taba, al-Masry al-Youm reported. All of them had been held on criminal charges, Haaretz said. Netanyahu thanked the governments of the United States and Israel for their help in the exchange. "This was hanging on a thread and I am glad it worked," he said. US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement, "The United States welcomes the release of Ilan Grapel, who we have worked hard to bring home since his June detention in Egypt" and expressed gratitude to the Egyptian and Israeli governments. The Israeli HaYom newspaper said the deal includes the release of Jonathan Pollard, an Israeli spy imprisoned in the United States, in return for Israel temporarily suspending settlements in the West Bank, al-Masry al-Youm said. Grapel landed at Ben-Gurion Airport Thursday evening and was met by his mother, US Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., for whom Grapel had worked, and US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
