Israel to free two Syrian prisoners after return of soldier's body

Israel has agreed to release two prisoners after the remains of one of its soldiers missing since 1982 were returned with help from Russia, an Israeli official said Saturday.

A Russian official said the prisoners were Syrians.

The Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity said two prisoners were being released as a "goodwill gesture" after the return of the remains of Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel earlier this month.

The decision was not part of a pre-arranged deal, he said.

But there were signs of a brewing controversy in Israel as some media reported that the decision was taken without cabinet approval.

"Only after the return of the body of Zachary Baumel, Israel decided in recent days to free two prisoners as a goodwill gesture," the official said.

"It had not been decided before."

The official did not provide details on the prisoners but Moscow's envoy for Syria in an interview with Russia's RT television said they were Syrians.

Alexander Lavrentiev said Russia was grateful to Syria for helping to return Baumel's remains, adding that Israel had decided to free a number of Syrians in return.

Israeli media suggested the prisoners may be Syrian citizens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights held for security offences.

Israel, which seized much of the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, remains technically at war with the neighbouring country.

Israel's military announced on April 3 that Baumel's remains, missing since the 1982 Lebanon war, had been returned, bringing to a close a highly sensitive case for Israelis.

The announcement also came less than a week before hotly contested Israeli elections, which saw Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu win a fifth term.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit by Netanyahu that the remains had been found by the Russian and Syrian armies.

Syrian Information Minister Imad Sara on April 4 said that Damascus had no knowledge on plans to repatriate the remains, nor was it aware of the details behind the discovery of the body and its subsequent transfer.

Israeli soldiers fought with Syrian forces in a battle on June 10-11, 1982 in the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub, near the Syrian border.

Some 20 Israeli soldiers were killed.

Baumel and two other soldiers, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz, had since been listed as missing and presumed killed. The other two remain missing.