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Last update - 15:04 21/07/2008
Report: Israel willing to free Marwan Barghouti for Shalit
By Barak Ravid and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Gilad Shalit, Israel, Hamas 

A Gulf newspaper reported Monday that Israel is willing to include jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti in a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Shalit was seized in a cross-border raid in June 2006 and has been held in captivity in the Gaza Strip ever since. Unlike the soldiers who were snatched several weeks later by Hezbollah, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, several signs of life from Shalit have been released. Barghouti is serving five life sentences in Israel for his role in a series of deadly terrorist attacks during the second intifada.

The newspaper, Al-Bayan which is published in the United Arab Emirates, also said that the list would also include senior Hamas officials Hassan Salame Abdullah Barghouti and Ibrahim Hamad. But, the report says, Israel will not free the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmed Sadat.
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According to Al-Bayan, the talks on the exchange to secure Shalit's release have seen significant progress, but Egyptian officials fear that agents in the region will try to scupper the deal.

Also Monday, Miki Goldwasser, the mother of Ehud Goldwasser whose body was returned by Hezbollah in a prisoner swap last week, said Monday that she sees herself as a soldier fighting for Shalit.

On Monday morning, the Goldwasser family was visited by Military Intelligence chief Major General Amos Yadlin, Prime Minister's Bureau-appointed hostage negotiator Ofer Dekel, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai and Haim Avraham, the father of Benny Avraham who was kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2001.

Meanwhile, former United States President Jimmy Carter is also trying to achieve a breakthrough in negotiations for Shalit's release, and has urged Israel to release Hamas politicians in efforts to expedite the deal.

A senior adviser to Carter, Robert Pastor, visited Israel last week, as part of a regional tour that included visits to the Gaza Strip, Damascus and Cairo.

Pastor met with Shas leader Eli Yishai, and said that Carter would like to arrange a tripartite meeting with a senior Hamas figure. An Israeli source said that Pastor presented Yishai with the initiative to release Hamas politicians to expedite the deal.

Under the initiative, Israel would release several dozen prisoners a confidence-building measure, including Hamas parliamentarians and ministers arrested after Shalit's abduction in June 2006. In return, Shalit would be brought to Egypt, where his family would be able to visit him. After this stage, negotiations for the release of more Palestinian prisoners and Shalit's return home would continue.

On Sunday, Minister who participated in cabinet deliberations with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel will have to show greater flexibility in its negotiations with Hamas in efforts to secure Shalit's release.

Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation from the Gaza Strip is expected to visit Cairo later this week in order to discuss an Egyptian proposal to renew the indirect negotiations between the two sides.

If there is progress in the talks between senior Egyptian intelligence officials and Hamas representatives, Israeli negotiator Ofer Dekel will also travel to Cairo for talks next week.

Olmert is likely to resume cabinet discussions on the criteria for which Palestinian prisoners can be released in exchange for Shalit. A similar discussion took place six months ago, headed by Vice Premier Haim Ramon.

Security and political sources said Sunday that the restrictions on the prisoner criteria must be relaxed in order to achieve progress on the talks. To date, Israel has agreed to release 71 of the hundreds of people proposed by Hamas.

Ministers involved say they have no illusions of reaching an agreement unless dozens of prisoners sentenced to life are released - including those who were involved in serious terrorist operations.

Israel is also hoping that Egypt will increase its pressure on Hamas to be more flexible.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak believes that it is important to utilize the tahadiyeh (cease-fire) in order to push through a deal for Shalit.

During discussions Sunday, Barak said he believed a gag order might be necessary, because Hamas may try to use the Israeli media in its bargaining.

This comes following the recent negotiations for reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Barak explained, as well as "loose talk" from ministers who stated that Hamas will up its demands in exchange for Shalit.

"It is essential to impose a heavy curtain of censorship in order to bring Gilad [Shalit] home," Barak said yesterday. "We must not conduct this struggle with our cards open - it gives a significant and unjustified advantage to the other side."

Related articles:
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  • Barak: Israel will do all it can to bring Shalit home
  • Hamas says Shalit swap talks on hold
  • Peres to Goldwasser and Regev families: All of Israel is hurting with you
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      1.   Why does "confidence-building" always a one-way thing 04:20  |  McQueen 21/07/08
      2.   SHALIT AND CARTER 04:22  |  Roberto 21/07/08
      3.   Better Deal: Trade Carter for Shalit 04:51  |  Born In The USA 21/07/08
      4.   Take care of the Poor in America first 05:08  |  Eugenio 21/07/08
      5.   Shalit exchange 06:05  |  howiej 21/07/08
      6.   ministers: don`t know when to keep quiet 06:44  |  odles 21/07/08
      7.   One Part I Like 06:55  |  Jane 21/07/08
      8.   may Shalit be returned alive and well to his family 07:30  |  Michael Hessler 21/07/08
      9.   Carter is pissing into the wind 07:51  |  Johnboy 21/07/08
      10.   Keep Carter away! 07:53  |  VLAD 21/07/08
      11.   Gilad Shalit is Alive 08:08  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/07/08
      12.   Carter is the last person Israelis should listen to. 08:39  |  Terry 21/07/08
      13.   Exchange the flexible,spinless ministers for Shalit 08:49  |  Absolute Sweden 21/07/08
      14.   Israel should show no flexibility whatsoever. 09:04  |  Rafi 21/07/08
      15.   Israel behaves like a gang 09:50  |  European 21/07/08
      16.   For Terry # 12 10:21  |  Clickfool 21/07/08
      17.   Rafi - Your cards are illusions 10:34  |  Natallie Durson 21/07/08
      18.   Carter 11:01  |  NK 21/07/08
      19.   Carter should stop meddling 11:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/07/08
      20.   Carter, the successful hostage negotiator 11:34  |  Londoner 21/07/08
      21.   Gilad Shalit 11:55  |  Ralph 21/07/08
      22.   Terrorists are not entitled to the protected status of POWs. 12:01  |  Jean Van Daem 21/07/08
      23.   Nattallie Durson #17 - Israel has not played yet its cards 12:24  |  Rafi 21/07/08
      24.   Would they release all prisoners convicted of murder 12:27  |  Ilan 21/07/08
      25.   Then... 12:37  |  Yosemite 21/07/08
      26.   Just Say No To Carter 12:49  |  Yosemite 21/07/08
      27.   FOR CLICKFOOL:#16 12:55  |  Brant 21/07/08
      28.   when i thought things could not get worse..,they did 12:56  |  paulo 2005 21/07/08
      29.   For the good of all... 13:02  |  Esther 21/07/08
      30.   Natalie, I finally agree with you on something 13:02  |  Harvey (Chaim) 21/07/08
      31.   UNLIKE ISRAEL, NO RUSH FOR HAMAS TO MAKE DEAL 13:05  |  indrajaya 21/07/08
      32.   Does NOT make any sense 13:09  |  MiddleStanian 21/07/08
      33.   As Long As Hamas Holds Shalit,Abu Mazen Terror Authority Grows 13:11  |  Joseph.E 21/07/08
      34.   Hamas Politicians and Bargouti release Undermine Abbas Terrorism 13:15  |  Joseph.E 21/07/08
      35.   Win-Win or Lose-Lose 13:32  |  Ronnie Wolman 21/07/08
      36.   For Clickfool 13:34  |  Richard 21/07/08
      37.   Something closer to home for the USA. 13:38  |  Maureen Ann 21/07/08
      38.   #1 As today`s news shows... 13:44  |  outsider 21/07/08
      39.   just make the deal, confidence building measures have no meaning 13:47  |  ivo 21/07/08
      40.   Rafi - Israel is too busy trying to teach lessons 13:56  |  Natallie Durson 21/07/08
      41.   Barghouti for Shalit? Sounds promising 14:01  |  Natallie Durson 21/07/08
      42.   10000+ Palestinians must be released 14:03  |  Historian 21/07/08
      43.   To 31, Indi 14:10  |  Jozef 21/07/08
      44.   The release of Barghouti would be a huge coup for Hamas 14:11  |  Aphemia 21/07/08
      45.   Bargouti is Hamas` Worst Nightmare 14:13  |  Jane 21/07/08
      46.   11000 Pals ore no Shalit 14:27  |  Dav 21/07/08
      47.   # 29 you`re very right, esther... 14:30  |  eric 21/07/08
      48.   It won`t happen 14:32  |  rm 21/07/08
      49.   Mark of Lewiston USA 14:41  |  Lily 21/07/08
      50.   27 Brant re: Clicky, You nailed one theme wonder 14:54  |  The Equalizer 21/07/08
      51.   KIDNAP 10 ISRAELI SOLDIERS... 15:07  |  Andreas 21/07/08
      52.   Israeli Govt is out of control 15:09  |  17 21/07/08
      53.   If carter is in favour, then it is dangerous for us 15:14  |  Arie 21/07/08
      54.   #11- Do you know he is alive for a fact? 15:16  |  Arie 21/07/08
      55.   shalit 15:19  |  robert 21/07/08
      56.   ONE Live Arab for one live Jew.No Nasrallah murder deals 15:38  |  PETER SM 21/07/08
      57.   Carter ME Spin: In Row Boat With Broken Oar Lock. 15:39  |  Alex 21/07/08
      58.   "HISTORIAN"10000 Palestinians released when the terror attacks 15:41  |  PETER SM 21/07/08
      59.   DAV.NO Shalit and you people have nothing 15:43  |  PETER SM 21/07/08
      60.   All the more reason to kill every terrorist on the spot. 15:45  |  JMK 21/07/08
      61.   shalit is innocent, baghrouti is as innocent as barak 15:57  |  mehmet 21/07/08
      62.   Shalit for Marwan Barghouti - a Good deal. 15:58  |  Dagma 21/07/08
      63.   For what..to bolster Hamas 15:58  |  Ray 21/07/08
      64.   Israel must release the Palestinian hostages 15:59  |  Harold 21/07/08
      65.   #44 Easy enough to understand.. 16:02  |  Johnboy 21/07/08
      66.   Carter: a guide for Israel? In a way 16:14  |  Myron Ernst 21/07/08
      67.   Carter 16:18  |  Jack 21/07/08
      68.   NO! Stop Releasing BARBARIC KILLERS ! 16:21  |  Linda Rivera 21/07/08
      69.