Israel Matzav

Bill Clinton's next gig?

Bill Clinton may have a new job: Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked him to help obtain the release of kidnapped IDF corporal Gilad Shalit.

During his recent visit to Washington, Netanyahu met with the former U.S. leader and proposed that the latter visit Gaza and negotiate with senior Hamas officials in efforts to finalize a prisoner exchange deal that would see hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails in exchange for Shalit.

Shalit was captured by Gaza militants in 2006 and has been held by Hamas for over four years.

According to Ma'an, the Hamas government of Gaza has received no information on Clinton's potential visit, but Gaza Foreign Ministry undersecretary Ahmed Yousef told journalists on Saturday that Hamas "welcomes every effort to expose Israeli crimes against the population of Gaza.”

“The government is open to the world through contact with Western officials, who are well briefed on the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he added.

I don't like this idea. Do you really want to create a situation where the ex-President of the United States - the husband of the Secretary of State - is meeting with Hamas?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:03 PM