"We are happy for the Johnston family and wish him all the best," the father of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit
told Ynet on Wednesday morning following the release
of BBC reporter Alan Johnston in Gaza.
Noam Shalit also addressed the remarks made by dismissed Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who expressed his hope that the journalist's release would bring an end to the Shalit affair as well.
| Abductions |
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| Haniyeh says hopes Shalit affair will end soon as well / Ali Waked |
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In press conference at dismissed Palestinian prime minister's home, freed British journalist Alan Johnston warmly thanks Hamas for efforts to release him. Haniyeh says kidnapped IDF soldier could also be released 'if Israel thinks reasonably' |
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"No negotiations are being held at the moment. Everything is stuck. Despite what was said in the Sharm el-Sheik summit, there are no talks today on Gilad's issue."
Meanwhile, efforts are being exerted to resume the negotiations for Shalit's release. Muhammad Bassiouni, chairman of the Egyptian parliament's National Security Committee and Cairo's former ambassador to Israel, said
Saturday that Egypt would soon resume its mediation for the release of the kidnapped soldier.
Several days earlier, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in a special interview
with Yedioth Ahronoth that the Egyptian mediation delegation operating for Shalit's release and for a prisoner exchange deal will resume its work after things calmed down in Gaza.
According to Mubarak, "Marwan Barghouti's release will benefit everyone, not just the Palestinians."
"We reached an agreement in principle for the release of 400 to 500 prisoners, and when an argument broke out on who should take the first step, Israel or the Palestinian side, we suggested that Shalit would first be transferred to Egypt," Mubarak said.
"We said that after the lists reach Jerusalem and Israel approves the released prisoners, we will bring Shalit home. But the Palestinians were worried that Israel would not keep its promise, things became complicated, Mashaal delayed the implementation, and then the clashes broke out in Gaza."
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