Deal imminent? Gaza prisoners (archives)
Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
'German mediator demanded secrecy on Shalit talks'
London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reports Berlin official mediating between Israel and Hamas on prisoner exchange deal said any leak would cause negotiations to fail
The German negotiator mediating between Hamas
and Israel
on a prisoner exchange deal has demanded from all sides involved – Israel, Egypt
and Hamas – not to leak any details about progress made in the negotiations to the media, high-ranking Palestinian officials told London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi.
The same sources added that all the information on the matter being published by Israeli, Palestinian and foreign media outlets was "far from reality" and that no one really knew what was happening behind the scenes of the negotiations. The same sources implied that progress had been made in the negotiations, but refused to elaborate.
The newspaper reported Friday that the German mediator was firm in his demand, noting that leaking any information to the media will make his quit his mediation job.
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They also noted that the Germans had stressed that when they mediated between Israel and Hezbollah in last year's prisoner exchange deal, it was done under complete secrecy due to the German mediator's demand.
The Germans had added that they believe the negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah succeeded and the swap deal was implemented because of the sides' commitment to maintain a blackout during the talks.
The same sources denied a connection between Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal's trip to Egypt and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Cairo this week, adding that contrary to a report by the al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, Netanyahu and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak are not expected to declare that the sides have reached an agreement any time soon.
The sources also reported that the Egyptians had asked Hamas leaders not to reveal any details of the negotiations, following an official request made by the German mediator.
Gilad Shalit was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip 1,180 days ago.
