Egyptians release Israeli 'spy'

Azzam Azzam, was exchanged with six Egyptian students arrested by Israel in August this year on suspicion of planning to abduct Israeli soldiers.

"He was very excited and screamed 'I am born again'," a witness said, as Azzam passed an Israel checkpoint near Eilat.

The moves follow a visit to Israel last week by Egypt's foreign minister and its influential intelligence chief.

Azzam's imprisonment has been a frequent point of friction, says the BBC's Simon Wilson in Jerusalem.

And the prisoner exchange deal may be a forerunner of better relations between the neighbours, our correspondent says.

Egypt is reported to be considering sending an ambassador back to Tel Aviv after a long absence and taking on a security role in the Gaza Strip, with Israel due to pull out next year.

The two countries signed a peace deal in 1977, but have relations remained cool and orsened after the beginning of |he Palestinian Intifida in 2000.

The state security court in Cairo sentenced Azzam, 41, a member of Israel's minori|y Druze community, to 15 years in pri{on in August 1997.