BICOM

The Israeli and Egyptian authorities have reached an agreement that is set to free Ilan Grapel, the US-Israeli citizen jailed in Egypt since June. The deal will see Israel freeing 25 Egyptian citizens held in Israeli jails, including two minors. Cairo had initially held out for the freeing of all 81 Egyptian citizens held in jail, but later compromised. Israeli officials have made clear that none of the individuals to be freed were involved in acts of violence against Israelis. An Egyptian media report, however, suggests that two of the prisoners set to be freed had in fact engaged in planning attacks in cooperation with Palestinian groups. The Israeli Cabinet is now set to vote on the deal. If they approve it, Grapel is likely to be freed on Thursday.

Israeli officials see the conclusion of the deal as an indicator of the growing normalisation of Israeli-Egyptian relations, following the chaotic period after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak. Tensions had been exacerbated following the deaths of five Egyptian security personnel at Israeli hands as the Israelis pursued terrorists who had killed eight Israelis from Egyptian territory, in August. Following the announcement of the Grapel prisoner exchange, Israel issued an apology for the deaths of the five Egyptian security personnel.

Ilan Grapel, who was photographed taking part in demonstrations at Cairo’s Tahrir Square, was initially set to face espionage charges. These were later reduced to the still serious charges of ‘insurrection, incitement and damaging a public building.’ The Israeli authorities have maintained throughout that Grapel, a former IDF paratrooper, has no links to any Israeli official agencies. The main efforts to secure his release in recent months have been conducted by the US authorities. However, Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson has also been conducting behind the scenes talks with Cairo over the last months. Hasson’s close links with former and current Egyptian security officials played an important role in facilitating the negotiations.

The detailed talks that resulted in the prisoner swap deal that is now set to free Grapel were headed by Prime ministerial special envoy Yitzhak Molcho.