Omar Suleiman
Photo: AFP
Egypt seeks to have Shalit freed by November
Israeli representatives involved in negotiations for kidnapped soldier's release hear Egyptian intelligence chief that he plans to finalize deal with Hamas within three months. Meanwhile, Hamas toughens its stance, demands opening of Rafah crossing
Egypt
seeks to have kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit
released by November 2008, Cairo officials told Israeli delegates Amos Gilad and Ofer Dekel during the recent round of talks held last weekend.
Gilad and Dekel returned from Cairo last weekend with the notion that the negotiations with Hamas
have reached a deadlock. At this stage it appears that Hamas seeks to hold on to its bargaining chips in return for Shalit.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Hamas has toughened its stances ahead of a possible resumption of the negotiations for the Israeli soldier's release, and now demands that the opening of the Rafah crossing as a gesture.
Defense First
Yonat Atlas
Defense minister unsure of how long Gaza ceasefire will yet last, says what time is left must be used to fortify Israeli communities, push for Shalit's release
On the one hand, Hamas wants to keep Shalit as a bargaining chip for the release of additional Palestinian prisoners, particularly "heavier" ones. On the other hand, the Egyptians believe that holding on to Shalit guarantees that the Israelis will not attack Hamas targets in Gaza and will refrain from resuming its assassination policy against senior movement members.
Senior sources in Jerusalem say that Egyptian intelligence chief, General Omar Suleiman, is very determined to advance Shalit's release as soon as possible.
Israel continues to insist that the Rafah crossing must not be opened before Shalit is freed. In meetings between Gilad, Dekel and Suleiman it has been made clear that Hamas is toughening its stances as a lesson from last month's prisoner exchange deal with Hizbullah.
One of these "toughened clauses" is the demand to release "heavier" prisoners in the Shalit deal.
"If Israel paid so much to Hizbullah for dead soldiers, we can demand more for a living soldier," a Hamas representative told Suleiman.
Meanwhile, there are those in Hamas who have called to shift the role of mediator in the Shalit deal from Egypt to an international element, such as United Nations secretary-general's emissary Gerhard Konrad.
Gilad Shalit was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip 781 days ago.
