Israel approves swap deal for jailed US-Israeli

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Ilan Grapel Ilan Grapel 
AP
JERUSALEM — Israeli leaders have approved a deal to swap 25 Egyptian prisoners for a U.S.-Israeli citizen jailed in Egypt on suspicion of espionage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says Israel's Security Cabinet unanimously approved the deal on Tuesday afternoon.

It says Ilan Grapel, who was arrested in Cairo in June, is expected to return to Israel on Thursday.

Israel and Egypt first announced the deal on Monday.

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Tantawi meets with Palestinian President

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صورة
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Egypt economy recovering, wants Europe debt relief

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Industry says opening of banks boosted economy * IMF says recovery depends on tourism rebound By Tom Pfeiffer CAIRO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Egypt would like European Union states to cancel its debts to them but has not made a formal request, the EU's local delegation said, as Egypt's economy showed signs of recovery from weeks of political turmoil. The government has slashed its growth forecast after 18 days of street protests across the country unseated President Hosni Mubarak, scaring off tourists, hitting inward investment and sparking a wave of strikes in banks, industry and government. The economy was worth an estimated $217 billion last year and it relies heavily on foreign investment, tourism and fees from the Suez Canal. A government statistics agency estimates the uprising cost the economy at least $1.7 billion. A spokeswoman for the European Union delegation in Cairo said European Union Ambassador Marco Franco met Finan...
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