Hamas claim Druze prisoners released as part of Shalit video deal
A week after Israel released two Druze security prisoners as part of a 'goodwill gesture' from the chief of staff to the Druze sector, Hamas official claims men were on list of prisoners it asked to release as part of Gilad Shalit videotape deal
Contrary to Israel's claim that it released two Druze security prisoners four years prior to completing their prison term as a "goodwill gesture for the Druze people", Hamas said Thursday that the release was part of the deal in which the Islamist group released a videotape of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
The two prisoners, Bishar al-Makat and Abed al-Wili Assam, were sentenced in 1985 to 27 years in prison on security-related charges.
Goodwill gesture or deal with Hamas? (Photo:Avihu Shapira)
Last Thursday, the two were released from Gilboa prison, four years prior to completing their prison sentence, as a "goodwill gesture from the chief of staff (Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi) to the Druze sector". The two received a hero's welcome in the Golan Heights village of Majdal Shams.
However, a week after their release, Osama al-Muzaini, a senior Hamas member responsible for the prisoner exchange negotiations, offered a different explanation.
According to him, Hamas included al-Makat and Assam in the list of prisoners it demanded Israel release as part of the Shalit videotape deal.
Al-Muzaini added that the parties are engaged in "intensive talks" in order to resolve the final obstacles standing in the way of reaching an agreement that would see Shalit returned to Israel in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
"The German mediator is working intensively, seriously and objectively to try and resolve the remaining disagreements standing in the way of successfully reaching a deal," he added.
Al-Muzaini refused to give further details on the progression of the negotiations, saying that "talking about the details will complicate the deal."
Raanan Ben-Zur and Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
