Ben Eliezer hopes the release of Azzam after Israel had released the Egyptians

The Israeli defense minister Benyamin Ben Eliezer expressed his hope that Israel's release of 8 Egyptian sailors who were on the ship of "Karen A" which was intercepted in the Red Sea in January carrying weapons will lead to Egypt's release of the Israeli spy Azzam Azzam.

In a statement to the Israeli radio on Tuesday, he said that Israel "had proposed to the Egyptian authorities to release the 8 sailors in return for releasing Azzam Azzam," the Israeli Durz who was sentenced in Egypt for 15 year imprisonment under the charges of spying for Israel, but Egypt refused.

Ben Eliezer, who made his statement by telephone in Paris where he is in a visit, expressed his conviction that releasing the Egyptian sailors will at the ultimate end lead to easing the Egyptian position regarding the release of Azzam.