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Netanyahu. No good news
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Photo: Avishag Shear-Yeshuv
Gilad Shalit's parents mark his 23rd birthday without him
Photo: Avishag Shear-Yeshuv

Netanyahu: Shalit deal won't happen tomorrow

Prime minister tells cabinet optimistic reports on imminent prisoner exchange deal exaggerated. 'There are too many talks about Gilad Shalit. A lot of the information is inaccurate and unfounded,' he says. 'We are not facing a breakthrough in the coming days'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday attempted to lower expectations following optimistic Arab and German reports on an imminent prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.

 

"We are not facing a breakthrough tomorrow of the day after," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday. Addressing the wave of reports, he clarified that "the talks about it are unfounded. There are too many talks about (klidnapped soldier) Gilad Shalit – and moreover, there is a lot of exaggeration and a lot of inaccurate information."

 

German weekly Der Spiegel reported Saturday that Germany has given Hamas until the beginning of September to approve a reported deal on a prisoner swap. According to the report, the deal mediated by Germany's foreign intelligence service will see Israel release 450 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase of the deal.

 

Sources close to Hamas have also expressed cautious optimism that a deal could be finalized before the Jewish High Holidays.

 

However sources in Western Europe, who are involved in the negotiations, told Ynet over the weekend that there was a lot of work ahead and that the optimistic reports emerging from the Middle East were slightly exaggerated.

  

The Shalit family marked Gilad's fourth birthday without him on Thursday. Friends, acquiatnances and many supporters gathered at the captive's hometown of Mitzpe Hila, demanding an end to the painful affair.

 

"Giladi, we are so sorry we failed to bring you back home," Gilad's mother, Aviva, said during the event.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.30.09, 11:01
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