Israeli-lebanese Armistice Talks Continue; Exchange of Prisoners of War Virtually Set

Arrangements for the exchange of Israeli and Lebanese prisoners of war were virtually completed today at the armistice talks between the two nations, it was announced here today.

In addition to members of the two delegations, three Red Cross representatives participated in the talks today in the border town of Ras el Nakura. It is expected that all arrangements will be completed by next week.

Meanwhile, the two delegations have been split into two sub-committees: one to draft proposals on frontiers! the other to handle all other matters of concern between the two states. The latter group has completed its tasks, but the frontier unit was still in the midst of its work when today’s session ended. The next meeting of the two delegations will be held Thursday. Gen. William E. Riley, U.N. mediator’s military aide who is chairing the meetings, flew to Beirut after the session.

The exchange of war prisoners between Israel and Egypt was completed today when the last party of Israeli prisoners, numbering 144, crossed over to the Israeli lines in the Negev, it was announced today. The Jewish prisoners stated that they had not been treated well and criticized both their captors and the Red Cross for disregarding their needs. At the conclusion of the exchange the former prisoners held a celebration at the liberated village of Nitzanim, at whose fall most of the Jews were captured.

Arab brigands who infiltrated into Israeli-held territory yesterday killed two more Jewish settlers. One of them, Yaacov Weissbard, a member of the Ramath Hakovesh settlement, was killed by a sniper’s bullet as he worked in the fields adjacent to the settlement. A second Jew was killed in Beisan by Arabs who slipped into the Beisan Valley.