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Last update - 13:29 05/11/2008 Haniyeh to former Irish president: Hamas will allow Shalit to send letter to family soon By Akiva Eldar Tags: Mary Robinson, Ismail Haniyeh  Hamas will pass Gilad Shalit's family a letter from the kidnapped soldier, in response to the letter they sent their son a few months ago, Gaza Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh promised former Irish president Mary Robinson, while she was visiting the Gaza Strip. Robinson, who used to be the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, told Haaretz that when she spoke to Haniyeh, she expressed her support for releasing Palestinian prisoners but also told him the time had come to release Shalit. Robinson currently chairs the Council of Women World Leaders and is a member of The Elders, a group put together by Sir Richard Branson that includes retired Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and retired UN secretary general Kofi Annan. The group's goals include promoting Middle East peace. Advertisement During her visit to the region, Robinson also met with Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal and expressed interest in the town's children. Robinson expressed veiled criticism of former British prime minister Tony Blair, who is now the Quartet envoy to the territories. She said that during her visit to Gaza, she was told that his presence could not be felt there at all, that he had never visited there and that he is not doing enough to lift obstacles to urgent humanitarian aid. She also criticized the leaders of Hamas and Fatah, saying that the civilian population is paying for their political disagreements. Robinson met with the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, Ahmed Qureia, and told him, as she had told Haniyeh, "Both parties are arguing cynically that they are interested in a cease-fire, but because of the rivalry between them, they are fighting on the backs of the people." She also called on Israel and the international community to change their policies toward Hamas. She said Northern Ireland teaches that without the participation of all parties to the conflict, the conflict cannot be ended. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Never again Israel, Germany mark 70 years since the Night of the Broken Glass. Financial freefall Global financial storms threaten empire of Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson.   1.   WHY the delay ? What is soon? What price are they going to try to 14:31  |  PETER SM 05/11/08   2.   Hamas will allow Shalit to send letter to family soon. 15:10  |  Ana 05/11/08   3.   Oh God! this "soon" sounds like Soviet dictation of letters 15:43  |  S 05/11/08   4.   WOW What a group of JEW HATERS,robinson,carter,anan 16:15  |  HAL TRIPP 05/11/08   5.   PETER SM 16:44  |  Anna 05/11/08   6.   Ha,Ha,Ha Anna ! 19:33  |  Sean 05/11/08   7.   ROBINSON TROTS OUT THE NORTHERN IRELAND MYTH 19:39  |  Ian 05/11/08   8.   Mary Robinson 19:43  |  Col [Res] COHEN 05/11/08   9.   Poor bitter Ian ! ex-brit perhaps ? 21:16  |  Sean 05/11/08   10.   #9 NO!! SEAN!! 21:59  |  Ian 05/11/08   11.   I refer to my earlier point Ian. 23:14  |  Sean 05/11/08   12.   #11 SEAN,NOW YOUR SLIP IS SHOWING 00:08  |  Ian 06/11/08   13.   Anna Human rights Red Cross doesn`t seem to worry about either 00:16  |  PETER SM 06/11/08   14.   # 11: Shalit a war criminal? 00:20  |  S 06/11/08   15.   ExPM ROBINSON has distiguished herself with her selective outrage 00:26  |  PETER SM 06/11/08   16.   Wrong again Ian ! 04:29  |  Sean 06/11/08   17.   #16 I SEE YOUR PROBLEM,SEAN 19:43  |  Ian 06/11/08   18.   Delegation to GAZA is a farce. 05:18  |  Ahmad Yaqeen 09/11/08   19.   to $4 05:52  |  umich student 09/11/08   20.   Shalit is probably not alive 13:43  |  shlomo 09/11/08

Read & React Livni: I'm not repeating mistakes of Camp David Responses: 14 Report: U.S. secretly attacked dozens of Mideast targets since 2004 Responses: 6 Bradley Burston: Obama, and the first Arab prime minister of Israel Responses: 24 Editorial: Israel should listen to Hamas Responses: 13 Akiva Eldar: Obama needn't fear the right-wing Jewish lobby Responses: 8 More Headlines 12:29 IDF: Army may need to respond to fresh terror alerts from Gaza 12:12 Livni, after Quartet meet: I'm not repeating mistakes of Camp David 09:32 Report: U.S. secretly attacked dozens of Mideast targets since 2004 07:13 Labor figureheads to support Meretz in upcoming elections 04:05 Amira Hass / Powerless in Gaza, residents rely on the tunnels 07:23 Jerusalem of filth: Capital ranks last in livability among Israel's largest cities 08:02 Auschwitz expert: Blueprints found in Berlin not of death camp 02:12 Belgian far right leader: I am one of Israel's staunchest defenders 10:24 Merrill Lynch: Israel less vulnerable to economic crisis than U.S. and Europe 12:41 Iran: Fundamental U.S. policy change unlikely under Obama 13:21 Living the Vision / 'I knew my life's goal was to try and make Israel find peace' 11:19 Airports Authority workers forced to cease strike 21:25 'Anti-Semitism must never be given an opportunity in Europe again,' says German chancellor 05:41 Despite credit crunch, senior officials to enjoy big raises Previous Editions Select Day 09 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct 30 oct 29 oct 28 oct 27 oct

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