Germany: Prisoner Swap Result of Agent”s “Protracted” Efforts
A German secret agent helped broker the prisoner swap scheduled to take place on Wednesday between Israel and Hizbullah, according to Germany”s government.
A confidential paper from Chancellor Angela Merkel”s office obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday said the secret service agent worked for 18 months to help arrange the exchange.
"He overcame this task through difficult and protracted efforts," the paper said, racking up more than 435,000 miles (700,000 kilometers) in air travel to locations including New York, Tel Aviv, Beirut and several European capitals.
The paper did not identify the agent but said he drew on the German secret service”s large network of contacts throughout the Middle East to help secure the swap deal.
It said the government considers the exchange as only a step in Germany”s long-term process of helping Israel to resolve the fate of all its missing citizens. The paper pledged to continue working to resolve the fate of other missing Israelis.
German agents also helped broker Israeli-Lebanese prisoner swaps in 1996 and 2004.