Israel Matzav

Breaking: Israel wants 125 terrorists deported

A Channel 1 news report this evening says that Israel is demanding the deportation of 125 senior terrorists as part of the 'terrorists for Gilad' trade. Unfortunately, the government is apparently willing to allow Marwan Barghouti to return to his home.

Giving a conditional green light for a deal with Hamas to free captured soldier Gilad Schalit, Israel on Tuesday reportedly gave a German mediator a list of 125 Palestinian key security prisoners and the terms under which it would agree to their release. In many cases, Channel 1 reported, their release would be contingent on their deportation

The 125 names were selected by Israel from a list of about 300 names originally presented by Hamas last spring, and subsequently reduced to some 180. According to Channel 1, Israel was firmly opposed to the release of any Israeli Arabs on the original Hamas lists, and to the release of some of the gravest offenders with "blood on their hands." The German diplomat was to meet with Hamas representatives in Gaza later on Tuesday night or on Wednesday morning and present the terrorist group with the Israeli conditions. The Hamas leadership in Damascus is reportedly opposed to a deal that would include the deportation of a significant number of released prisoners.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the inner cabinet has given Israeli mediator Hagai Hadas a green light to continue negotiations with Hamas to secure Schalit's release. The inner cabinet is reportedly looking to go forward with the deal as long as Israel doesn't release certain prisoners with "blood on their hands" back into the West Bank or inside the Green Line.

The inner cabinet, known as the forum of seven, is made up of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud), Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Labor), Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Israel Beiteinu), Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas), Intelligence Agencies Minister Dan Meridor (Likud), Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) and Minister-without-Portfolio Bennie Begin (Likud). The forum met late into the night on Monday in what was described by insiders as a final marathon discussion on the prisoner-swap agreement that would end Schalit's three-and-a-half-year Gaza captivity.

I can't see Hamas agreeing to so many terrorists being deported.

Apparently, once again, Hamas in Gaza is much more anxious to do the deal than the Hamas leadership in Damascus that actually has to make the decision.

Read it all.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:54 AM