FREEDOM

Egypt and Israel Swap Prisoners

American-Israeli for 25 Egyptian prisoners.

Israel has secured the release of another prisoner, this time for a much cheaper price. Egypt released Ilan Grapel, an American-Israeli man detained in June on charges of spying for Israel and provoking unrest against President Hosni Mubarak. He is being exchanged for 25 Egyptian prisoners, most of whom were being held for smuggling. Israel denied that Grapel was a spy, as did his friends and family. Even in Egypt the charges were widely ridiculed—Grapel worked at a legal-aid group for refugees and made no secret of his Israeli background or his time in the Israeli military. The swap comes at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Egypt.