Hezbollah says Israel holding Lebanese prisoner
Hezbollah leader claims Lebanese soldier Yehia Skaff is still being held in Israeli prison, although Israel says he died in 1978
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Friday Israel is still holding a Lebanese prisoner and the remains of others despite a prison exchange a year ago in which all were to be returned.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah believes the family of Lebanese soldier Yehia Skaff, who say their son is still being held in an Israeli prison. He said Friday that Israel is also holding the "remains of martyrs."
There was no immediate comment from Israel, but the government has said in the past that they believe Skaff was killed during the Palestinian terror attack he carried out in 1978 that killed 35 Israelis.
Israel has said it returned all Lebanese prisoners and bodies last July when Hezbollah returned the bodies of two Israeli soldiers captured in July 2006.
Soldiers' coffins returned to Israel (Photo: Channel 2)
The evidence that the Israeli enemy gave is not enough," said Nasrallah in a message shown on television.
"It is impossible for us to accept the Israeli claim, and we will continue to work for the return of the remaining bodies and remains of martyrs."
The capture of the two Israeli soldiers in 2006 led to a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah that killed around 1,200 people in Lebanon - most of them civilians - and 160 in Israel.
In return for the soldiers' bodies, Israel released five Lebanese militants, including Samir Kantar, who was serving multiple life terms for a 1979 attack in Israel's north. Israel also returned the bodies of 199 Arab
fighters.
