Leviev, four Israeli banks seal debt deal-source

TEL AVIV Nov 17 (Reuters) - Billionaire diamond dealer Lev Leviev has agreed to pay 300 million shekels ($80 million) to four Israeli banks as partial repayment of a number of private loans, a source close to the agreement said on Tuesday.

Under the deal with Bank Leumi (LUMI.TA), Israel Discount Bank (DSCT.TA), Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (MZTF.TA), and First International Bank of Israel FTIN5.TA, Leviev will also back his debt by assets, the source said, giving no further details.

Leviev controls real estate developer Africa Israel (AFIL01.TA), which is seeking final approval from bondholders and shareholders for a deal to restructure 7.4 billion shekels of debt.

Israel's Globes financial newspaper reported last week that Leviev was seeking a separate deal with lenders regarding the private loans, so as to secure their backing for the broader Africa Israel debt restructuring plan.

On Monday, Bank Hapoalim (POLI.TA), Leviev's largest lender, said it had reached a separate deal with the billionaire but it refused to disclose the scope of the loans he owes or the amount he had agreed to pay.

TheMarker financial news website said Leviev had agreed to pay Hapoalim 410 million shekels and that his privately held Memorand company owed the bank some 2-2.5 billion shekels.

Globes said Leviev's private business owes some 3 billion shekels to banks -- mainly to Hapoalim -- in debt backed by Africa Israel shares.

($1 = 3.76 shekels)

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr, Editing by Simon Jessop)