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Report: Israel to reopen Rafah crossing in exchange for new Shalit tape
London based Al-Shark Al-Awsat newspaper quotes Fatah sources as saying Israel agreed to allow pilgrims en route to Mecca passage through Rafah crossing in exchange for new tape of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit
Roee Nahmias
The London based Arab newspaper Al-Shark Al-Awsat reported Saturday that Israel has
agreed to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing, which is adjacent to the Egyptian Rafah crossing, in exchange for being provided with a new tape of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
According to the report, which quoted Fatah officials as its source, the recent crossing of Palestinian pilgrims en route to Mecca through the Rafah crossing was not made without Israel's consent, but in return for a new tape featuring Shalit.
A spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) told Ynet that the London report was unfounded, and that Shalit's captors have not offered any new information to Israel, nor are they able to make such a decision without including all those involved in the kidnapping in it.
Any new information about the kidnapped soldier, added the spokesman, would be offered only in exchange for a "serious gesture" on Israel's part.
Al-Shark Al-Awsat offered no further corroboration to its information.
The first and only sign of life by Gilad Shalit since his abduction was given on June 25 2007, exactly one year after his kidnapping, when his captors releases a tape of
him pleading for his release.
Israel had forwarded an official protest to Egypt for opening its side of the Rafah crossing without coordinating it with the IDF, saying such actions could prompt wanted terrorists to go through the crossing undetected.
Ali Waked and Roni Sofer contributed to this report
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