Israel releases two Syrian prisoners after Russia negotiates return of soldier's body

Israeli media claims both men expressed fears about returning to war-torn Syria

A freed prisoner is seen after he was released by Israel in what Damascus described as Russian-mediated reciprocation for the repatriation of the body of a long-missing Israeli soldier, at the Quneitra crossing, Syria (Reuters)

Israel has freed two prisoners and sent them back to Syria in what is being described as a “goodwill gesture”.

The move comes after Damascus returned the body of an Israeli soldier killed during a 1982 battle with Syrian forces in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said that the two prisoners were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross at the crossing in Quneitra – the main access point to the Golan Heights.

Local Israeli media meanwhile reported that both prisoners had previously requested not be returned to Syria, for fear of persecution.

Israel identified the pair as Ahmed Khamis, from Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp south of Damascus, and Zidan Tawil, from the Syrian Druze village of Hader.

The names were later confirmed by Syria’s official news agency Sana, which said they arrived in Syria on Sunday.

Khamis, a member of Palestinian political group Fatah, was jailed in 2005 after crossing over from Syria and trying to attack an Israeli army base.

Tawil, meanwhile, was jailed in 2008 for drug smuggling.

Israel officially denied claims that the release was part of a prisoner swap with Syria, its bitter enemy.

Russia’s Syria envoy, however, said on Friday that Israel agreed to release the Syrians in return for Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel’s body.

Baumel was declared missing in action along with two other Israeli soldiers during a tank battle with Syrian forces in 1982.

A Syrian government source told Reuters Damascus had pressured Moscow to secure a prisoner release from Israel after the remains were returned.

Sana news agency shared photos of the two men smiling as they arrived into Syria and claimed they had “expressed joy” at having been freed.

However, Israeli media reported that during the course of their trial both men expressed concern about returning to the country, which has been in the grips of a devastating eight-year civil war.

Sources told Haaretz newspaper that Khamis instead requested to be sent to the Palestinian city of Hebron where his wife lives.

The left-leaning daily also reported that Tawil had claimed he had previously cooperated with Israeli security forces and would therefore be “persecuted by Syrian authorities”.

During the course of his trial, Tawil also apparently claimed the regime had killed his brother, sister-in-law and nephew.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli authorities about these claims.

Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s minister of regional cooperation denied claims the two were returned as part of a prisoner swap, but voiced hope that the move may smooth the path for future attempts to recover Israelis lost to the Syrians.

“If with a gesture like this we leave the Syrians with less of a sour taste, then that is a positive thing,” he told Israel’s Army Radio.

Additional reporting by agencies