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Al-Zahar - Deal over?
Photo: AP
Olmert - Shalit first
Photo: AFP

Hamas: Egypt agrees with us, Israel impeding deal

Mahmoud al-Zahar says the Islamist group refuses to tie fate of Gilad Shalit to long-term ceasefire agreement to prevent 'a last minute con' by Israel. 'They rejected the names we submitted. If they accept it, the deal will be completed,' he adds

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar accused Israel once again on Thursday evening of bearing responsibility for hindering Egypt's efforts in securing a ceasefire between the two parties because of Jerusalem's insistence the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit be linked to the deal – a condition Hamas outright rejects.

 

"We agreed on a number of clauses with the Egyptians on the truce and the exchange of prisoners," al-Zahar said in an interview with the Islamist group's website.

 "The Hamas movement agreed to this, the Zionist side is the one responsible for the incompletion of this process. Hamas' position and Egypt's position on these matters is the same."

 

Al-Zahar addressed the Shalit issue, saying that the deal on his freedom had nothing to do with the ceasefire.

 

"We submitted a list to the Zionist entity. If they meet our demands and free the people named on the list, the exchange will be completed. The Hamas movement refuses to tie this issue to the ceasefire, so that it does not become a 'last minute attempt to con (us).' Ultimately this thing could thwart the whole deal."

Al-Zahar said that Israel's refusal to release all the prisoners on Hamas' list is the reason for the stagnation in the Shalit deal.

 

"What we have on the table now isn't a truce for an exchange. We have already submitted the numbers and criterion (to Israel), however they are focusing on the 'quality' of each prisoner and rejecting the names we listed. Those names are the very core of the agreement," he said.

 

Earlier on Thursday Prime Minister Ehud Olmert confirmed that Israel has handed over the names of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it is willing to release in exchange for Shalit, names that were not on the original list demanded by Hamas. Olmert cited this development as progress in the efforts to secure Shalit's release.

 

The new list includes hundreds of 'heavyweight' prisoners, jailed for lengthy terms for the planning and execution of terror attacks. Olmert reiterated once more that Shalit's release would have to precede any ceasefire deal.

 

"Anyone who thinks that by opening the crossings we'll resolve the issue of Gilad Shalit – is wrong. That just isn't true… it's inconceivable that after we crushed them (Hamas) we'll do what they demanded in the first place. If that's what they think, then they're wrong," Olmert said.

 

The prime minister appeared to be directing his words not only towards Hamas and Egypt but also towards senior security officials who on Wednesday voiced harsh criticism of the cabinet's decision to condition the truce on Shalit, saying the move could bring the entire mediation process to a halt.

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.20.09, 00:03
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