PA minister: Shalit deal failed because of Israel
Palestinian interior minister discusses issue with senior Hamas officials in Damascus. Upon returning from meetings in Iran and Egypt, he says, 'Deal failed or was halted because there are those who want to release Israeli soldier for nothing.' Yedioth Ahronoth reports that Iran paid Khaled Mashaal to thwart Shalit's release
"It's not true that the Hamas movement is under Syrian pressure to thwart the deal," he said in an article published Thursday morning in the London-based Arabic-Language newspaper al-Hayat.
The minister rejected the reports on secret channels between Hamas and Israel through Arab mediation.
Siam arrived in Cairo on Tuesday after visiting Iran and Syria and meeting with the deputy of Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman to discuss a series of matters related to the Palestinian issue.
The Palestinians now fear that Israel would not let him return to the Gaza Strip, as Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz threatened several days ago.
In the meantime, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal is expected to visit Cairo in the coming days in order to deliver Hamas' response to a series of questions raised by Egyptian Intelligence Chief Suleiman during the meeting in Damascus on Saturday, the Saudi newspaper al-Watan reported.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is on an official visit in Moscow, was asked by reporters about the Shalit issue. He answered that "Israel should not release prisoners at any cost. That would be totally irresponsible."
'Take USD 50 million, don’t release Shalit'
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Iran had transferred USD 50 million to the Hamas leadership in Damascus in order to thwart Gilad Shalit's release.
Western sources following the affair reported that an agreement in principle on the procedures for Shalit's release was already reached two months ago. According to the report, Israel was ready to release in return hundreds of Palestinian prisoners "in stages."
However, several days after it seemed that a deal was reached, an Iranian delegation secretly arrived in Damascus and transferred USD 50 million to Khaled Mashaa, under the condition that he thwarts the deal.
According to the report, Mashaal then toughened his stance and demanded that Israel releases dozens of Palestinian prisoners defined as "tough prisoners."
In the meantime, diplomatic sources in Syria expressed great pessimism over the possibility of resuming peace negotiations with Israel, the Qatar-based newspaper al-Watan reported.
According to the sources, "The current Israeli government was politically and militarily defeated, and cannot seriously progress toward peace."
They added that Israel had missed out on many opportunities recently raised to revive the peace process, and that in spite of the talks held recently by European and international delegates, data show that the Israeli public is becoming more radical and therefore there is no hope for peace under such conditions.
Ronny Sofer, Moscow contributed to the report
