Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., October 12, 2008 Tishrei 13, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:18 (EST+7)
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Gilad Shalit's father Noam protesting outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Jerusalem residence last week (Tess Scheflan / Jini)
Olmert: Mistake to link Shalit release with Gaza truce
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Cease-Fire, Gilad Shalit 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said in private conversations in recent weeks that it is a mistake to link the issue of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit's release to the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Olmert has told officials in meetings on the matter that Israel must choose between moving ahead on Shalit's release by applying massive pressure on Hamas - which might lead to the breakdown of the cease-fire and a renewal of Qassam fire on the Negev - and a freeze on the Shalit release and quiet in Sderot and the communities close to the Gaza Strip. Sources close to Olmert have said that as long as things are quiet, Hamas has no interest in moving ahead on releasing Shalit.

The sources have also criticized Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who pushed for a cease-fire at any cost, saying the cease-fire perhaps should have been delayed until progress was made on Shalit's release.
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Senior defense officials familiar with the details of the talks over Shalit's release are critical both of Egypt, which is mediating talks between Hamas and Israel, and the cease-fire. "The Egyptians are being lazy and Hamas has no will to move ahead. Everything is stuck," a senior figure said.

According to these officials, the solution might come either from a change in approach by the Egyptians - which does not appear to be at hand - or by embarking on military and other operations in the Gaza Strip, so that Hamas will understand that if there is no progress on the Shalit release, the cease-fire will not continue.

"Without serious mediation and real pressure, this will not work," the official said.

Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman is continuing his contacts with Hamas, but in recent weeks the talks have dealt mainly with relations between Hamas and Fatah in the Strip. Meanwhile, Olmert has been given a list of 450 names of prisoners Israel has agreed to release in exchange for Shalit.

However, a senior minister familiar with the list and the talks said a solution is not close at the moment. According to the minister, the chance that Hamas will accept a list that includes only 220 of the names it submitted to Israel, and a similar number that Israel is proposing to release, is small.

"It's not at all certain that if we agreed to release everyone they wanted us to at first they would agree," the minister said. "I don't see how the matter will be solved in the next six months."

Israel was considering publishing the names of the prisoners it is willing to release in order to create pressure on Hamas from Palestinian families. However, the idea has been shelved for now out of concern over possible protests by Israelis whose relatives were killed or injured in terror attacks perpetrated by these prisoners.

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      1.   Cut Visits To ArabPals Prisoners Till Shalit is Released 05:02  |  Joseph.E 10/10/08
      2.   No brainer - there is no cease fire 06:55  |  Joe Sittizen 10/10/08
      3.   Olmert doing his best now to redeem what he has lost? 07:42  |  Dagma 10/10/08
      4.   The `Cease-fire` will not continue....? What Cease-fire? 08:07  |  Natasha 10/10/08
      5.   Mistake 08:19  |  Ralph 10/10/08
      6.   OLMERT is the Mistake! 08:29  |  Natasha 10/10/08
      7.   No more prisoner exchanges 08:29  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 10/10/08
      8.   The liberation of Gilead Shalit. 08:36  |  Jean Van Daem 10/10/08
      9.   The good of the many out-weighs the 08:38  |  spyguy 10/10/08
      10.   Plan for Olmert 08:49  |  ABC 10/10/08
      11.   Diskin`s Argument is Bankrupt 09:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/10/08
      12.   RED CROSS must confirm that Gilad is alive!!!! 09:14  |  lilly 10/10/08
      13.   Joe Sittizen`s no brainer 09:40  |  Natallie Durson 10/10/08
      14.   Enjoy it 09:40  |  Marwan 10/10/08
      15.   THIS is a mistake? How can one undo all Olmert`s mistakes? 09:43  |  S 10/10/08
      16.   A no go situation. The value of Gilad Shalit. 09:52  |  Stephen. 10/10/08
      17.   mistake: not carpetbombing 10:42  |  Ken 10/10/08
      18.   No carpet bombing until we are sure that Gilad is alive!!!! 11:13  |  Lily 10/10/08
      19.   when is he going to learn to keep his mouth shut 11:21  |  zionist forever 10/10/08
      20.   Sigh, Durson simply can`t stay on topic 11:35  |  Joe Sittizen 10/10/08
      21.   IS GILAD SCHALIT ALIVE 11:40  |  victor hardman 10/10/08
      22.   chickn and egg argument 12:19  |  khairi janbek 10/10/08
      23.   IT IS SO EASY, RELEASE THOSE 1000 PALESTINIANS NOW 13:05  |  indrajaya 10/10/08
      24.   We are a nation of masicists 13:46  |  Gilad 10/10/08
      25.   Simple strategy: no truce until Shalit is free 14:36  |  stalin`s victim 10/10/08
      26.   COMPLETE LACK OF IMAGINATION BY OLDEMERDE 15:13  |  jewish DOctor 10/10/08
      27.   We shall only see Gilad Shalit again and hopefilly ALIVE...... 15:44  |  Dagma 10/10/08
      28.   Olmert should know his place NOW BUT HE DOESN`T..... 16:01  |  The Threadmill 10/10/08
      29.   #8 Natalie who listens to you really, youattacked Jews the other 16:30  |  Big Sur 10/10/08
      30.   #11 Steven, Maybe not 16:46  |  BIG SUR 10/10/08
      31.   Mistake to link Shalit release to Gaza truce 17:05  |  Steve Gure 10/10/08
      32.   The answer is a prisoner release - 2nd try 18:06  |  BBSNews 10/10/08
      33.   The less Israel tries to get Shalit realesed, the lower his value 18:07  |  Voice of Reason 10/10/08
      34.   Still no proof 19:26  |  Arie 10/10/08
      35.   I agree with Voice of Reason (#27) 22:16  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 10/10/08
      36.   the answer is in the prisoner list 22:45  |  peter 10/10/08
      37.   #25. BIG SUR. No we do not bargain...we 23:26  |  Stephen. 10/10/08
      38.   #.30 Mark Klein. I concur. 23:36  |  Stephen. 10/10/08
      39.   Olmert made the mistake of not demanding truce 00:11  |  Gee 11/10/08
      40.   How to stop further kidnappings ?? 00:28  |  Bill 11/10/08
      41.   Steven #16 02:27  |  Jasper 11/10/08
      42.   When has Olmert not made mistakes? 02:38  |  Mark Lincoln 11/10/08
      43.   3.41. Jasper. Plenty of garbage etc all over. 12:34  |  Stephen. 11/10/08
      44.   Hamas is responsible for Gilad`s welfare.Apologists can spin all 13:17  |  PETER SM 11/10/08
      45.   SPYGUYActions like firing missiles at Israel AFTER the"caesefire" 13:19  |  PETER SM 11/10/08
      46.   Was Shalit`s Release Tied To The Ceasefire? 19:09  |  Reader 11/10/08
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