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Barghouti. To be released as part of deal?
Photo: AP
Photo: Noam Rotem
Shalit. Talks for his release
Photo: Noam Rotem
Photo: Reuters
Mashaal. Updated Barghouti's wife
Photo: Reuters

Report: Hamas demands Barghouti's release in Shalit deal

London-based al-Hayat newspaper reports movement demands that Tanzim leader jailed in Israel be freed as part of deal to release kidnapped soldier. According to report, most Israeli ministers do not oppose Barghouti's release

The Hamas movement announced that it demands to place Tanzim leader in the West Bank Marwan Barghouti, who is jailed in Israel, at the top of the list of Palestinian prisoners who will be freed as part of a deal for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat reported Thursday.

 

According to the report, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal told Barghouti's wife that the abducted soldier will not be freed without her husband's release.

 

In addition, the movement demanded that Israel releases 1,400 prisoners in three stages as part of the deal. The first stage will include the release of 400 women and youths jailed in Israel, and Hamas will simultaneously transfer Shalit to Egypt.

 

In the second stage Israel will release 500 Palestinian prisoners, and Shalit will simultaneously be transferred to Israel. In the third stage Israel will release another 500 prisoners.

 

The newspaper also reported that as part of the talks between Barghouti's aides and Israeli officials, it turned out that most government ministers do not oppose his release.

 

Palestinian Authority officials have therefore estimated that the Israeli principle not to release prisoners "with blood on their hands" has been broken.

 

Suleiman to update Mashaal on meetings in Israel 

PA officials, according to al-Hayat, estimated that Israel would once again reject Hamas' criteria regarding the identities and names of the prisoners who are slated to be released.

 

The newspaper did not elaborate on the criteria, but according to estimates, the meaning is that Israel will persist in its refusal to release prisoners "with blood on their hands."

 

According to the report, Hamas plans to insist on the identity of the prisoners who will be released.

 

Nonetheless, Hamas officials are persistent in their demand that Israel releases all the Palestinians arrested before the Oslo Agreement was signed in 1993, headed by 29 prisoners who have been jailed in Israel for more than 20 years.

 

Meanwhile, Arab media reported that Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman is expected to meet with Mashaal in the coming days in order to update him on meetings he held with senior Israeli officials.

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.30.06, 08:52
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