Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., September 11, 2008 Elul 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:41 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Top Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar. (AP)
Last update - 17:31 10/09/2008
Report: Hamas warns it will nab more soldiers if IDF tries to free Shalit
By Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents, The Associated Press, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel, Gaza Strip 

A senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip warned Israel that any attempts to rescue abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit would spur the Islamist group to kidnap more soldiers, the pan-Arab London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat is reporting in Wednesday editions.

"If Israel tries to rescue Gilad Shalit, we will kidnap more soldiers," Mahmoud Zahar told the newspaper. The Hamas official was reacting to reports that Israel was threatening to take "various active measures" should Hamas continue to delay talks over the captive soldier. Israeli officials sent this message to Hamas via an Egyptian mediator last week.

The Hamas official added that Israel has exhausted all military means at its disposal to win the captive's release with no results. Zahar added that Hamas remains adamant Israel pay the full price it is demanding in exchange for Shalit.
Advertisement
A special ministerial task force has completed drafting a list of 450 Palestinian prisoners whom Israel would be willing to release in exchange for Shalit.

The ministerial panel, headed by Vice Premier Haim Ramon, finished drafting its list on Sunday and submitted it to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Sometime in the next few days, Olmert will discuss it with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and if this troika approves the list, it will be sent to Egypt for transfer to Hamas as a formal Israeli offer.

Amos Gilad: Hamas 'like a cancer'
Israel's point man in indirect, Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas says the Islamic militant group is more powerful than the Western-backed Palestinian government and "is like a cancer."

Defense Ministry director-general Amos Gilad says talks with Hamas designed to secure the release of a captured Israeli soldier have gone better since a truce went into effect in June. But he adds that a deal is "not close."

Gilad says current peace talks between Israel and the moderate Palestinian forces in charge of the West Bank are not likely to bear fruit until those forces retake Gaza from Hamas. He says it's like negotiating with "half a body."

Shalit deal may shorten Abbas presidency
Israel is expected to free the 40 Hamas Palestinian parliament members held in Israeli prisons, as part of a deal to release Shalit. However, if Israel takes this step before the end of 2009, it is expected to bring Mahmoud Abbas' term as Palestinian president to an early close in a legal sense, though not necessarily in practice.

The legislators' release means that Hamas will once again have a majority (74 out of 132) in the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The parliament is expected to convene after its Hamas-affiliated members are released, and decide not to extend Abbas' term beyond January. Nonetheless, Abbas is not expected to resign, although the Hamas position would seriously threaten his legitimacy.

Hamas is demanding the lawmakers' release as part of the first stage of a deal to release Shalit. Most of the 40 legislators were arrested after the June 25, 2006, cross-border raid near the Gaza Strip that resulted in Shalit's abduction, although some were elected while serving time in prison.

Israel is expected to allow the release of the legislators, since most were arrested because they are members of Hamas, and are not considered terrorists "with blood on their hands."

The previous Fatah-run parliament passed a law shortly before the 2006 elections won by Hamas stipulating that Abbas' term should run five years - until January 2010, when both parliamentary and presidential elections will be held - rather than four years. But Hamas and several experts in Palestinian law say that the Palestinian election law, which is a Basic Law in the Palestinian Authority, can be amended by a two-thirds majority, rendering the one-year extension unconstitutional.

Hamas says that Abbas' presidency should actually end this January, unless he wins a new presidential election.

If the PLC does decide that Abbas must end his term in January, the parliament will appoint PLC Speaker Aziz al-Dweik, who is currently in an Israeli prison, as acting president.


Related articles:
  • Israel completes prisoner list for possible Shalit swap
  • Hamas: We won't thwart Egypt's role in Shalit swap
  • VIDEO / Hamas' Meshal agrees to pass Noam Shalit's letter to Gilad
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    'I didn't kill Rose'
    Ronny Ron, grandfather of missing 4-year-old, recants his confession.
    Diplomatic incident
    Olympic medalist Shahar Zubari stirs controversy, calling Chinese 'shits'.
      1.   You are the Pirates of the 21st Century. 14:08  |  Nora 10/09/08
      2.   Hamas Will Anyway Nab More Soldiers To Release Terrorists . 14:11  |  Joseph.E 10/09/08
      3.   Laughable 14:28  |  ScotGuy 10/09/08
      4.   More kidnapping threats by Hamas 14:34  |  Brod 10/09/08
      5.   This is ridiculous 14:57  |  lady from USA 10/09/08
      6.   Crime in Israel 15:04  |  lady from USA 10/09/08
      7.   Hamas should be crushed now. 15:04  |  Jean Van Daem 10/09/08
      8.   A fatuous exercise that presupposes that Israel holds the aces 15:06  |  Clickfool 10/09/08
      9.   Shalit should be rescued by force only 15:23  |  Vitaly 10/09/08
      10.   How do you propose that Hamas be crushed, Jean # 6 15:42  |  Clickfool 10/09/08
      11.   Asharq al-Awsat 15:55  |  lady from USA 10/09/08
      12.   Clickfool, the official spokesperson for Hamas 16:02  |  Richard S 10/09/08
      13.   ISRAEL CABINET COWARDS:STOP FEARING HAMAS AND BROTHERS AND LET 16:18  |  glenna 10/09/08
      14.   Oh no Israelis kidnapped ?! 17:10  |  Ramzi 10/09/08
      15.   Only one way to respond to Hamas cancer. 17:22  |  David 10/09/08
      16.   We all know they will attempt kidnappings in any event 17:23  |  McQueen 10/09/08
      17.   Lady from USA 17:29  |  Lady from Israel 10/09/08
      18.   Sussex 17:42  |  j10 10/09/08
      19.   Right on Glenna !! Hamas has no fear, as Kadima controlls IDF. 17:49  |  Sarah 10/09/08
      20.   Mourn Shalit - Save Israel 18:01  |  Slappy 10/09/08
      21.   I BELIEVE HIM 18:02  |  indrajaya 10/09/08
      22.   To Clickfool 18:12  |  Hans 10/09/08
      23.   This is exactly why Israel must go into Gaza 18:31  |  Livin In Rishon 10/09/08
      24.   Regarding my previous post 18:33  |  Livin In rishon 10/09/08
      25.   Ramzi 18:37  |  x-ray 10/09/08
      26.   This is Olmert`s Legacy ...... 18:49  |  Natgasha 10/09/08
      27.   Olmert must be reveling 18:52  |  Michael 10/09/08
      28.   Olmert`s Legacy...... 19:03  |  Natasha 10/09/08
      29.   Should Israel abduct Iranian officials to release Gilad? 19:04  |  Rick & TC 10/09/08
      30.   This is exactly WHY Israel needs a Change of Government 19:20  |  Dagma 10/09/08
      31.   Hamas threats 19:43  |  paul 10/09/08
      32.   THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE MORE KIDNAPSS ANYHOW 19:51  |  ANI 10/09/08
      33.   Hamas warning 20:39  |  Jerry 10/09/08
      34.   TIP OF ZAHAR NOSE WILL BE FIRST TARGET 20:44  |  david 10/09/08
      35.   Ramzi 21:00  |  Jane 10/09/08
      36.   How many Arabd die each time an IDF member is kidnapped? 21:02  |  Murray the Mongoose 10/09/08
      37.   Its like Hitler saying I will kill more jews if you try save jews 21:10  |  zionist forever 10/09/08
      38.   carpet bomb them from the air!!! 21:30  |  Igor D. 10/09/08
      39.   Zahar 21:50  |  ChanahS 10/09/08
      40.   For Zionist Forever # 37 22:29  |  Clickfool 10/09/08
      41.   Rick TC 29: an idea that may work 23:14  |  Realist 10/09/08
      42.   CFOOLY .Hamas have achieved nothing with Gilad in 2 years and 23:32  |  PETER SM 10/09/08
      43.   Why not set a time limit for Shalit`s release, and then start 23:59  |  Yaakov K. 10/09/08
      44.   nora 1 00:06  |  potobac 11/09/08
      45.   God has a fine sense of humour 01:29  |  Freethinker 11/09/08
      46.   What`s that THING on his nose?! 01:57  |  Jack 11/09/08
      47.   For Peter SM # 42 08:59  |  Clickfool 11/09/08
      48.   Hamas is like a cancer? 09:17  |  Palestinian Prince 11/09/08
      49.   i think the palestinians are beginning to realize the truth 09:24  |  rami 11/09/08
      50.   CFOOIf Hamas could force a deal they would have already 10:02  |  PETER SM 11/09/08
      51.   Because Israel disapproved of corrupt PLO and approved 12:15  |  x-ray 11/09/08
      52.   Freethinker 19:17  |  lady from USA 11/09/08
      53.   You want the truth Rami about the palestinians 19:33  |  Samir of Aleppo 11/09/08
     Read & React
    Israel asks U.S. for arms, air corridor to attack Iran
    Responses: 249
    Police believe to have found remains of missing 4-year-old girl
    Responses: 12
    Nasrallah: No peace in Middle East as long as Israel exists
    Responses: 77
    Rights group: West Bank settlers grab more Palestinian land
    Responses: 43
    Tom Segev: Seven years after 9/11, American dream shows signs of renewal
    Responses: 22


    More Headlines
    19:39 Court delays autopsy of body found in Yarkon River
    14:34 Israel asks U.S. for arms, air corridor to attack Iran
    13:25 Rose's mother was under lover's 'guru-like influence,' says best friend
    19:29 'We didn't discuss Jerusalem in talks with Palestinians'
    19:31 Nasrallah: No peace in Middle East as long as Israel exists
    17:20 Right-wing activists attack, set dog on IDF soldiers in W. Bank
    08:24 Sarkozy's son and Jewish heiress tie the knot
    16:10 Netanya man suspected of raping disabled patients, giving them AIDS
    10:18 IAF grounds Cobras after crash kills two pilots
    11:31 Libya's Gaddafi to pay historic visit to London in December
    10:26 Rights group: W. Bank settlers grab more Palestinian land
    11:52 Ahead of Sept. 11 anniversary, British policeman dresses up as bin Laden
    12:12 Israeli scientist: 'Big Bang' experiment going better than expected
    07:39 Microsoft Israel unveils keyboard-free touch technology
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved