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Last update - 13:25 07/10/2008
Israeli security officials: Time running out on Shalit deal
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff
Tags: Israel News, Gilad Shalit

Security officials have warned that the time for making a deal for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit is running out. The officials told Haaretz that the more time that passes, the more things can go wrong and the greater the danger that an opportunity will be missed to bring Shalit home.

Talks are to open Tuesday in Cairo between Hamas and Fatah, mediated by the Egyptians, with an Egyptian-proposed package deal on the agenda that would include the release of Shalit.

In discussions in Israel regarding prisoners who could be released in exchange for Shalit, the names of terrorists were mentioned who committed major attacks in the early 1990s.
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The officials said they believed Hamas would raise the price it would demand for Shalit as time goes by. A security official also said: "Many possibilities must be taken into account, not all of them under our control. The calm in the Gaza Strip could blow up, the Egyptians could reduce their involvement in the talks to concentrate on domestic issues, one of Gilad's guards could harm him. There could even be complications from a flu that they don't know how to treat property at Shifa," the official said, referring to a Gaza Strip hospital.

Officials said that as far as they know, no option now exists for a military option to release Shalit. Referring to the kidnapping, an official said, "there was a failure, and now the price has to be paid, even if it means releasing terrorists who are murderers."

The officials said that the decision would soon be put to the prime minister-designate, Tzipi Livni. "When she reads all the material, she will understand that time is not in our favor, and the responsibility for Gilad Shalit's welfare is first and foremost hers."

Livni has avoided making public statements recently about Shalit. In the past she has said she sees the state has having the supreme responsibility of bringing back captives, "all the more so when it is a question of living soldiers."

However, although Livni voted in favor of bringing back the bodies of reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser in exchange for Israel's release of Salim Kuntar, convicted of killing four Israelis in a 1979 terror attack, she objected to the way the talks were handled, including the fact that Israel publicly declared that the two were dead only at the end of the negotiations.

Sources in Livni's bureau said this week that she objects to public calls "to release [Israeli] POWs at any price."

However, Livni did support releasing prisoners defined as having "blood on their hands" as a gesture to the Palestinian Authority.

Livni reportedly told associates at a closed meeting recently that in the list of prisoners Hamas wants released in exchange for Shalit, "there are much more than one Kuntar." She also said she expects she will come under heavy public pressure to close a deal quickly, "including demonstrations in front of my house."

Activists for Shalit's release have indeed announced that they will begin to hold permanent vigils outside Livni's house, beginning this Friday.

These remarks make it difficult to ascertain where Livni will stand on a Shalit deal as prime minister.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opposed a massive prisoner release in exchange for Shalit, a position also supported by Mossad chief Meir Dagan, who has been in on some of the discussions, although he is not directly connected to the issue. To a lesser extent, Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin also objects to an extensive release.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi represent the opposite position, believing that time is of the essence and that Israel should be taking advantage of the ongoing cease-fire in the Gaza Strip to move ahead on a deal to release Shalit, even at a "heavy cost."

Barak said Monday at a memorial service for the Armored Corps dead, at Latrun: "We will do everything possible and appropriate to bring Gilad Shalit home. We will spare no efforts. That is our duty."

The committee, headed by Vice Premier Haim Ramon, dealing with the Hamas prisoner list recently added an additional eight names to the list of prisoners Israel is prepared to release, bringing the number to about 150 (according to another version, there are already 200 names on the list). Egypt is pressuring Israel to raise the number somewhat, to give it more room to maneuver vis-a-vis Hamas.

The committee has proposed releasing prisoners who committed major attacks during the first intifada, at the end of the 1980s and the early 1990s. It was said that they did not belong to any terror group and are now fairly advanced in age, so that there is now a relatively low risk they will return to terror activities. Some of the names were later dropped because the committee members concluded that their cases were of emotional and symbolic significance to the Israeli public.

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      1.   Schmaltz isn`t the road to peace and security 02:02  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 07/10/08
      2.   IT`S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE - Total Blockade 04:03  |  Barry S. Roffman 07/10/08
      3.   I couldnt have said it better myself, Barry 04:56  |  Aussie Eli 07/10/08
      4.   Bomb Gaza daily until shalit is released or Gaza is ashes 05:11  |  bernard ross 07/10/08
      5.   Pals dont care about their own 06:40  |  Adrian de Klerk 07/10/08
      6.   You First 4 Posters are Something 06:47  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/08
      7.   And what`s YOUR proposal,Mark of Lewiston? 07:18  |  Hastaroth 07/10/08
      8.   Israel should eliminate the Hamas political leaders one by one. 07:24  |  Jean Van Daem 07/10/08
      9.   TURN OFF THE POWER ALREADY!!!!!!! 07:43  |  B`Galil 07/10/08
      10.   Roffman is inhuman put 2 million innocents for just one man! 07:50  |  Abu Samra 07/10/08
      11.   Not at All, Hastaroth 08:02  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/08
      12.   MORE than just One Kuntar........ 08:09  |  Dagma 07/10/08
      13.   TIME also runnig out for Hamas to make a deal 08:31  |  PETER SM 07/10/08
      14.   For B`Galil # 9 08:44  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      15.   For Barry S.Roffman # 2 08:47  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      16.   For Bernard Ross # 4 08:50  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      17.   Pay the price 08:53  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      18.   ABU Samra I wish,You wish. What does Hamas wish? 08:58  |  PETER SM 07/10/08
      19.   The abject brigade of "Shouters Not Shooters For Israel" 08:58  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      20.   #6, Mark of Lewiston 09:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      21.   Shalit release 09:07  |  Ralph 07/10/08
      22.   #13, the fool recommending mutilation 09:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      23.   Not at All, Hastaroth 2nd Try 09:22  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/08
      24.   #14, what would a fool know about the people of israel? 09:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      25.   Inept Israeli military wants a price to be paid by ordinary Israe 09:36  |  Absolute Sweden 07/10/08
      26.   Time to put prisoner issues like this on a sensible footing 09:43  |  Dr. L. Brnd 07/10/08
      27.   CClickfool whose buddies tried to blow up Glasgow airport 09:52  |  Absolute Sweden 07/10/08
      28.   SHALIT WILL BE SACRIFICED BY ISRAEL 10:00  |  indrajaya 07/10/08
      29.   Israelis just don`t seem to understand the Palestinian "psychy" 10:10  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/10/08
      30.   clickfool you do not understand anything 10:10  |  brighton rock 07/10/08
      31.   clickfool and "war crime" 10:15  |  brighton rock 07/10/08
      32.   clickfool your sadistic fantasies tell of your nature 10:18  |  zadok the priest 07/10/08
      33.   clickfool entertains himself with bloodcurdling 10:20  |  zadok the priest 07/10/08
      34.   Samir, not Salim Quntar 10:20  |  editor 07/10/08
      35.   #18, Dino, inciting and brewing the witches` brew 10:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      36.   swiss dino explains the palestinian psyche 10:25  |  swisswatch 07/10/08
      37.   #30, brighton rock, precisely 10:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      38.   #19, fool, there is none more abject or cowardly than you 10:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      39.   # 35 Cipora complaining about "incitement" is like..... 11:12  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/10/08
      40.   Shalit has to be brought home ALIVE......FIRST! 11:19  |  Dolly 07/10/08
      41.   A question of time... 11:23  |  Stephen. 07/10/08
      42.   Clickfool and Shalit`s body parts 11:24  |  Israeli citizen 07/10/08
      43.   Clickfool and Shalit`s body parts 11:25  |  Israeli citizen 07/10/08
      44.   You don`t need to make yourself crazy 11:25  |  Edith 07/10/08
      45.   Clickfool and Shalit`s body parts 11:31  |  Israeli citizen 07/10/08
      46.   Clickfool and Shalit`s body parts 11:32  |  Israeli citizen 07/10/08
      47.   #4 ... and have you thought about ... 11:33  |  Edith 07/10/08
      48.   More post-zionist propaganda 11:34  |  Jeff 07/10/08
      49.   For Cipora # 22 11:41  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      50.   IMNDRAJAYA if a hair on Shalits head is harmed Hamas brothers are 11:42  |  PETER SM 07/10/08
      51.   Question for Cipora # 37 11:43  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      52.   Why are there still Hamas leaders walking around free? 11:46  |  David Teich 07/10/08
      53.   Abu Samra - arrogant bullshit: do as we say or else is your line 12:05  |  x-ray 07/10/08
      54.   # 36 swisswatch 12:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/10/08
      55.   CFOOL it is Hamas from Gaza that`s doing the bombing 12:12  |  PETER SM 07/10/08
      56.   MARK of Lewiston Do you disagree with bombing of civillians? 12:17  |  PETER SM 07/10/08
      57.   #20 Cipora Julianna Kohn on `people who never respect Geneva` 12:22  |  Roo 07/10/08
      58.   Here`s news for David Teich # 52 12:22  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      59.   Hamas should show Israelis and IDF, that... 12:37  |  Dutch Dirk 07/10/08
      60.   Israel should raise Hell over Hamas 12:54  |  Nora 07/10/08
      61.   brighton rock-isn`t that a bit racist? ~31 13:11  |  rolf 07/10/08
      62.   play smart 13:30  |  nir osherov 07/10/08
      63.   #20 Cipora Julianna Kohn on `people who never respect Geneva` 13:56  |  Roo 07/10/08
      64.   Shalit and Palestinians in Israeli prisons must be released now. 14:12  |  Esmaralda 07/10/08
      65.   #20 Cipora Julianna Kohn on `people who never respect Geneva` 14:16  |  Roo 07/10/08
      66.   #15 Clickfool the Geographical Genius :o) 14:35  |  Murray of Montreal 07/10/08
      67.   #10 - ABU - NOBODY NEEDS TO STARVE! 15:21  |  Barry S. Roffman 07/10/08
      68.   the question here can hamas produce schalit 15:46  |  victor hardman 07/10/08
      69.   To Jean Van Daem # 8 Eliminating Hamas Leaders wont help 15:49  |  The Threadmill 07/10/08
      70.   Time running out: Shalit 16:19  |  ernie 07/10/08
      71.   Hamas to raise ante? Why not? Look what Hez got from inept Olmert 17:46  |  bat yam 07/10/08
      72.   #1 Mark Klein 17:47  |  Agasta 07/10/08
      73.   How Hamas would have handled it... 17:51  |  Agasta 07/10/08
      74.   bremen rolf and the gazans 17:59  |  brighton rock 07/10/08
      75.   20 Cipora Julianna Kohn - Since He Was Taken 18:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/08
      76.   swiss dino an austrian from history did not believe 18:05  |  swisswatch 07/10/08
      77.   swiss dino this is a typical example 18:10  |  swisswatch 07/10/08
      78.   56 Peter SM - I Don`t Approve 18:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/08
      79.   New deal: Shoot a terrorist each hour till Shalit is freed. 18:16  |  Chaim 07/10/08
      80.   They should have held on to kuntar and exchanged him for Shalit 18:27  |  never too late 07/10/08
      81.   For Murray of Montreal # 66 18:32  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      82.   pressure the ArabPal street to demand Shalit release . 18:53  |  Joseph.E 07/10/08
      83.   To # 64 19:17  |  Susanne 07/10/08
      84.   #14 clickFOOL 19:52  |  B`Galil 07/10/08
      85.   #68, Mark Of Lewiston 20:39  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      86.   hamas rejects international law, including geneva conventions 20:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      87.   Does anyone take Click seriously? 21:05  |  The Judge 07/10/08
      88.   Arabs Demand Equality: 1 IDF Soldier vs 1000 terrorists 21:09  |  Joseph.E 07/10/08
      89.   I`m not sure of your logic, Cipora # 78 21:18  |  Clickfool 07/10/08
      90.   #20 Kohn and geneva conventions 21:23  |  Labhras 07/10/08
      91.   #94 labarse of arabia and total paddy rot again 21:43  |  v.hardman 07/10/08
      92.   hamas and geneva 21:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/08
      93.   Dino #29: that`s the strangest kind of comment from you, Dino - 21:55  |  ivo 07/10/08
      94.   ireland the bankrupt nation 22:00  |  papalbull 07/10/08
      95.   moderator why dont you print all letters which anr not offensive 22:10  |  judah 07/10/08
      96.   Kohn and Israel and international Law 22:10  |  Labhras 07/10/08
      97.   Cipora Julianna Kohn on `people who never respect Geneva` 22:20  |  Roo 07/10/08
      98.   Cipora`s needle stuck 22:23  |  Roo 07/10/08
      99.   Mark of Lewiston #70/71 23:18  |  Roo 07/10/08
      100.   #84 but what has any of it to do with releasing schalit without c 23:52  |  victor hardman 07/10/08
      101.   99 Roo - Dysfunctional Government 00:33  |  Mark of Lewiston 08/10/08
      102.   Clickfool 15 - EGYPT REBUILT GAZA WALL 01:28  |  Barry S. Roffman 08/10/08
      103.   Schalit 01:34  |  Jasper 08/10/08
      104.   Clickfool in Gaza 03:38  |  Betari 08/10/08
      105.   To #103 06:02  |  Hans 08/10/08
      106.   #59 Dutch Dirk - What an excellent idea 07:06  |  Adrian de Klerk 08/10/08
      107.   If Gilad is alive and we actually see him then release the 11:57  |  lily 08/10/08
      108.   # 77 swisswatch 12:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      109.   # 93 ivo 12:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
      110.   Mark of Lewiston #101 13:28  |  Roo 08/10/08
      111.   58: News from Clickfool? That`d be the day 13:38  |  David Teich 08/10/08
      112.   Mark of Lewiston #101 15:32  |  Roo 08/10/08
      113.   The price doesn`t change! 19:57  |  rigma 08/10/08
      114.   109: Dino, it`s easy to understand, if you think 12:05  |  David Teich 09/10/08
      115.   Agree with Clickfool! Israel, "walk away"... 23:44  |  dyinglikeflies 12/10/08
      116.   Shalit is casualty of War-dont releaseTerros to kill& kidnap anew 00:35  |  Alan SA 14/10/08
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