Israel Matzav

Egypt: Israel rejected terms for soldier's release

YNet is reporting this morning that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram that Hamas agreed to terms of release for IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit but that Israel rejected the terms. YNet does not cite the terms that Israel rejected, but notes that Mubarak described talks with Hamas as "positive" but said he warned leaders of the group against holding on to their "extreme positions," urging them to pursue a responsible policy. That implies that the terms were not reasonable.

YNet also notes that Egypt had demanded that Israel postpone its planned incursion into Northern Gaza last night. Al-Ahram reported that in a phone conversation with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mubarak urged that Israel act with restraint, and warned that military action in Gaza is likely to claim the lives of innocent civilians, which in turn will fuel Palestinian groups to seek revenge. As if the 'Palestinian groups' need any excuses for terrorism.

I believe that Egypt is trying to negotiate Shalit's release. I don't believe Shalit is still alive. I also believe that Egypt didn't demand that Israel 'postpone' its planned incursion into Northern Gaza last night (actually the term YNet used was "froze"), but that Israel cancel the incursion altogether for reasons that had nothing to do with negotiations with Hamas. In other words, I stand by what I wrote six hours ago about Comrade Peretz being behind the 'postponement.' It fits in with too many other things that have happened over the past several weeks.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:58 AM