Egypt to exchange Israeli spy for 65 prisoners

Ahram Online, Friday 11 May 2012

Deal nearing completion to swap 65 Egyptians for Israeli spy Ouda Trabin, who was jailed for life in 2000

Amitai and Trabin
Yaacov Amitai (L) and Ouda Trabin (R) (Photo: Al-Ahram)

Egypt is negotiating a prisoner exchange deal with Israel that would see 65 Egyptians imprisoned in Israel swapped for the Israeli spy, Ouda Trabin.

The Israeli ambassador to Egypt, Yaacov Amitai, has postponed his weekend trip to Tel Aviv (Thursday to Friday) in order to work on the deal.

Trabin was arrested in Egypt 13 years ago on charges of espionage and received a life sentence 2000.

Last October, Egypt and Israel swapped Ilan Grapel, an Israeli-American accused of spying for Mossad, for 25 Egyptian prisoners in Israel. Ex-military officer Sameh Seif El-Yazal said after the deal that Israel had requested that Trabin and three other Israeli prisoners be part of the exchange, but had Egypt declined.

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