Israel Matzav

Abu Mazen and Egyptians confirm deal for Shalit; Israeli government claims to know nothing about it

Both the Egyptians and 'moderate' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen are confirming that a deal has been reached to trade kidnapped IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit for eight hundred prisoners terrorists. But the Israeli government is claiming that it knows nothing about any deal, and Shalit's father is denying the report outright.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas confirmed Tuesday that a deal had been reached to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Abbas told Bahrain-based newspaper El-Halij that Shalit would be transferred to Egypt and held there until Israel fulfilled its part of the bargain.

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The announcement came after the Egyptian newspaper Al-Hayat reported that Shalit had already been transferred to Egypt as part of a deal to secure his release.

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According to Al-Hayat, Shalit was handed over to Egypt "a short time ago" in exchange for Israel's guarantee to release 800 Palestinian prisoners in three stages.

Gilad's father Noam Shalit denied the report, saying unequivocally that Gilad was not in Egypt.

Israel Radio reported that Hamas had retracted its demand that Shalit be freed simultaneously with the Palestinian prisoners.

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A senior government source said that Israel was unaware of such developments and the security establishment made no comment on the reported agreement. Later officials from the Prime Minister's Office said they could not verify the information.

So, as the Israeli government is about to create a precedent that will lead to more kidnappings of soldiers and maybe even civilians, God forbid, the government's attitude is:

Once the 'little problem' of Shalit's release is cleared up, Slimy Shimon Peres is waiting in the wings to start 'talks' with his good friend Abu Mazen. Wait a minute: didn't I just say the government knew nothing about this? Isn't Shimon part of the government these days? Oops.....

Vice Premier Shimon Peres, speaking Tuesday amid reports of an imminent prisoner exchange deal for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, said that once Shalit were freed, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would invite Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas for talks based on the road map peace plan.

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Peres, asked if Olmert would soon invite Abbas for the first talks between the two leaders, Peres told Army Radio, "The moment that this matter is solved, the matter of our captive soldiers, and I hope it will be solved, that is what will happen."

According to Peres, the sides would "open negotiations on the basis of the road map. This is the only document that exists." The talks could take place, Peres said, as soon as Shalit comes home, and without connection to talks for the release of the two soldiers held by Hezbollah.

Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said the chairman had yet to be invited for a summit with Olmert. The two leaders have met only informally, at a conference in Jordan, since Olmert took power in May.

"We believe that any time Mr. Olmert is ready to meet, the meeting should be very well prepared, because what counts should be the substance," Erekat said.

Officials of Hamas and of Hezbollah have said there would be no tie between efforts to forge a dead for Shalit, and parallel contacts for the release of IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, abducted to Lebanon after a Hezbollah border raid on July 12.

I suppose given that we're talking about Peres, he could be freelancing. The last time that happened, we ended up with the 'Oslo process.' And the fact that the government could be falling anytime now would never stop it from giving the country away. It didn't stop Ehud Barak Barach. There's nothing like democracy, is there?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:00 PM