Israel exchanged 1 live Hezballah fighter and two dead ones yesterday for the body of an Israeli civilian who had drowned at sea and washed up on Lebanon's shore. Prime Minister Olmert tried to sound optimistic about the exchange leading to the release of the two IDF soldiers who were taken during the war with Lebanon in the summer of 2006, but most Israelis aren't holding out much hope that a break will come anytime soon:Olmert, speaking in Ashdod at a conference on aliyah issues, said that the swap was "balanced, and at a price which Israel was authorized to bear." But he added that "For years, our enemies have been seeking to raise the price to be paid by Israel for scraps of information, abducted civilians and soldiers, or, heaven forbid, remains. "This is an ugly and cynical trade in feelings, and in the feelings of Israeli society. At times there is no alternative but to pay the painful price." Israel said the swap was part of a larger negotiation...(Read Full Post)