The case against Ilan Grapel sounds utterly laughable, the result of a heightened climate of antisemitic paranoia in post-revolutionary Egypt. Various concessions and incentives were already under consideration before the deal to release Gilad Shalit was announced, but that deal threatens to become the template for conflict resolution with Israel: create a conflict, demand resolution, or the Israeli gets it.
In that regard, it encourages the future abduction of Israeli soldiers and civilians. Behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated. "Israeli spy 'to be swapped for Egyptian prisoners'," from Agence France-Presse, October 17:
A deal to release a US-Israeli joint national held in a Cairo prison in exchange for 81 Egyptians held in Israel is imminent, unnamed Israeli officials told public radio on Monday.
Ilan Grapel, who has been in custody since June 12, is accused of being an agent of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and of sowing sectarian strife and chaos in Egypt during the uprising which ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February. Israel has strongly denied the claims, insisting the whole thing was a mistake and accusing Egyptian authorities of "bizarre behaviour."
News of the alleged deal emerged as Israel and Hamas were poised to complete the first stage of an Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap deal which will see the Jewish state release a total of 1,027 Palestinians in exchange for captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
Details of a possible agreement for Grapel's release were first reported by Egyptian state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper on Sunday, which said Israel and Egypt were close to agreeing a deal "in which the spy Ilan Grapel... will be released in return for all Egyptians held in Israeli prisons."
Israel is holding 81 Egyptian prisoners, including three children, most of whom are facing criminal charges, including illegal entry to Israel, drug trafficking and arms possession.
Negotiations on an exchange are almost finished, the paper said.
"The success of the Egyptian mediation of the Shalit deal and Israel's formal apology to Egypt for the death of Egyptian soldiers killed on the border by Israeli fire, certainly cleared the road for making the Grapel deal," it said.
What was he - and indeed any other Israeli's - doing in Egypt? He sounds as stupid as the 3 'American' hikers who lived in Syria and were jailed in Iran, and are now on their hate America tour. Israel (and the US) would do well to let irresponsible citizens who live in such places rot, instead of cutting deals to free them that turn out to be damaging to their other citizens.
In the Islamic state every kafir is a hostage.
As for "What was he - and indeed any other Israeli's - doing in Egypt? He sounds as stupid as the 3 'American' hikers ..."
not quite. For many years Israelis have been vacationing in Egypt. Ever heard of Sharm al sheik?
Mubarak kept the MB in check. Now Egypt is ruled by the military and the MB.
Though I have been to Egypt twice, I will say it now:
ANY Jew who would even think about spending one day in ANY Arab or Muslim land needs his head examined.
Report: Israeli held by Egypt as "spy" to be released in return for "all Egyptians held in Israeli prisons"
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Ilan Grapel is another Israeli hostage, just like Gilad Shalit.
Grapel made the terrible mistake—common among hopeful Kaffirs—of assuming that any part of Dar-al-Islam is civilized...