Mubarak says Shalit is fine
Photo: AFP
Mubarak says Gilad Shalit unharmed
'Palestinians aren't stupid; they know Israel won't release a single prisoner should something happen to the kidnapped soldier,' Egyptian president tells Yedioth Ahronoth
"I do not believe Gilad Shalit is being treated badly or is being harmed in any way; he should not be hurt under any circumstances," Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in a special interview Yedioth Ahronoth, excerpts of which were released Thursday.
After more than two years in captivity, recently the kidnapped soldier finally received a letter from home.
Communication
Sharon Roffe-Ofir
Kidnapped soldier's father informed that letter handed to Syrian President Assad by French President Sarokozy has been delivered to captive held by Hamas in Gaza for more than two years. 'This made us happy,' Noam Shalit tells Ynet
The Shalit family gave the letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who handed it to Syrian President Bashar Assad during a visit to Damascus. The letter was then turned over to Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, who promised to deliver it to the kidnapped soldier.
"Gilad is fine. He recently received the letter, and he will respond to it," Mubarak said.
Asked whether he believed the soldier's life was in danger, the Egyptian leader said, "The Palestinians are not stupid; they must think carefully of the consequences they would suffer should they kill him.
"How will they get the hundreds of Palestinians (imprisoned in Israel) back if something bad happens (to Shalit)? In such a case Israel wouldn't release one single prisoner."
Addressing the stalled negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, Mubarak said Israel's transit government was doing nothing to promote the issue.
Shalit was kidnapped by Palestiian terrorists during a cross-border raid on an IDF base near Gaza on June 25, 2006.
The full interview with Mubarak will be published by Yedioth Ahronoth on Friday
