American-Israeli Ilan Grapel will be returned to Israel within the week from Egypt, where he has been held on espionage allegations since the time of the January Revolution, which resulted in the ouster of Hosni Mubarak as president, according to the London-based Arabic daily Ash-Sharq Il-Awsat.

The newspaper says Grapel will be exchanged for 81 Egyptians being held on criminal charges in Israel and the exchange will take place at the Taba crossing, near Eilat.