Report: Ghaddafi's son negotiates mini swap deal

TRIPOLI, Libya (Ma'an/Agencies) -- The son of Libya's leader reportedly worked out a deal with Israeli leaders securing the release of Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli held in Tripoli, BBC Arabic reported on Thursday.

Sayf Al-Islam Al-Ghaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar Al-Ghaddafi, spoke to the news service about a deal he allegedly reached, exchanging an Israeli-Tunisian dual national, a photographer who had spent five months in a Libyan prison, for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

According the the Associated Press, Rafael Rafram Chaddad was released on Sunday, but Al-Ghaddafi would not say how many Palestinians were to be released in exchange.

"It is better to release our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Palestine instead of keeping an Israeli inside our prisons," he told the agency, adding that an announcement about the deal would be made in the coming days.

The younger Al-Ghaddafi told reporters about the deal during a meeting with UNRWA officials, with whom a deal was being made to bring 20 prefabricated homes into the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Israeli officials reportedly said a deal with the Libyan leader's son involved the delivery of homes via an agreement arranged by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and an Austrian-Jewish businessman, Martin Schlaff.

Lieberman, however, refused comment to news agencies over what promises were made to Libya.

Al-Ghaddafi told the BBC, that he "made use" of the Israeli photographer, who had used his Tunisian passport to enter Libya, but who was arrested when it was discovered that he also held an Israeli passport. It is illegal for Israeli citizens to enter the country.

"I might be an opportunist, but my intentions were good," Al-Ghaddafi commented, according to the BBC.