Israel Matzav

Shalit not likely to be released anytime soon

Negotiations for the release of kidnapped IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit seem to be going nowhere. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Gheit told al-Arabiya on Monday that Hamas had turned down an exchange of 900-1000 'Palestinian' prisoners terrorists for Shalit.

"Egypt succeeded in securing a swap deal with Israel to free [Palestinian] women, children, elders and those who have been serving long prison terms in exchange for the soldier. A deal that could have guaranteed freeing 900-1,000 prisoners - but sadly they have decided to keep holding him [Shalit]."

'Sources close to the negotiations' told Haaretz:

"It is obvious to both sides that there will be a prisoner exchange, but there is no concrete understanding regarding how many prisoners will be released in exchange for Shalit, who they will be, and when. We have not even begun the real negotiations on implementing the deal, on the mechanism which will bring about the release of Shalit and the Palestinian prisoners. We are still at the stage [of discussing] principles."

Last week, Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman recently warned Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal that, should Shalit not be released by the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on October 22, Meshaal would bear responsibility for a large-scale Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip.

The warning was issued in a letter sent from Suleiman to Meshaal, and the fact that it was leaked is evidence of a crisis in the talks between Hamas and Egypt.

But al-Reuters reports that the Hamas-affiliated 'Popular Resistance Committees' warned Israel again on Monday against trying to free Shalit by force.

"If the Zionist enemy decided to enter Gaza in a large scale raid, the file of the soldier may get closed again," Said Popular Resistance Committees spokesman Abu Mujahed.

"If they enter Gaza and kill people or even if they eliminate all Gazans, they will never regain their soldier."

What nice people these 'Palestinians' are. Let's give them a state reichlet.

/sarcasm

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:16 AM