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ANALYSIS / Olmert wants Shalit deal before he leaves office By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff Tags: Israel news, Hamas, Olmert  Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been making great efforts in recent weeks to clinch a deal with Hamas for the release of Gilad Shalit, and recently said privately that he is determined to try to bring Shalit home before he leaves office. People who have spoken to him told Haaretz that Olmert wants to "clear his desk" before the end of his term by resolving the Shalit case. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, in contrast, told Channel 2 television last week that he believes there is a better prospect of bringing Shalit home after the elections than before. But Thursday he seemed to backtrack, saying the results of the military campaign in the Gaza Strip "can help us accelerate the decision-making process to bring Shalit home. It will require tough and painful decisions, but I believe there will be cabinet members who will do these things." Advertisement The Defense Ministry's chief negotiator, Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad, left for Cairo Thursday to hold talks with Egyptian intelligence chiefs on a cease-fire with Hamas. Egypt has been negotiating with Hamas on this issue for the past few days, and Gilad wants to clarify Israel's position on certain points. The Shalit case will also be discussed. The Egyptians have pressed Israel to meet Hamas "halfway" on Shalit by increasing the number of "important" prisoners it is willing to release. Although reports vary, Israel has thus far apparently approved the release of about 200 of the approximately 350 prisoners whom Hamas demanded by name. The Egyptians believe that if Israel ups the number, it would be possible to press Hamas to agree to a compromise. The total number of prisoners to be released, most of whom will be chosen by Israel, is apparently about 1,400. The Hamas delegation to Egypt left Cairo Thursday morning with a draft of a cease-fire agreement. However, the Egyptian authorities delayed three members of the delegation at the border for several hours on their way back to Gaza. According to the Egyptians, a search of the Palestinians' luggage revealed that Ayman al-Taha, Hamas' spokesman in Gaza, was carrying $9 million and two million euros in cash that he sought to smuggle into Gaza for Hamas' use. Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament, said Thursday that Hamas and Egypt have agreed that Shalit's release will not be linked to the opening of the Gaza border crossings, as Israel has demanded. Meanwhile, Al Arabiya television Thursday released what it claimed was a draft of the cease-fire agreement, which provided for a truce lasting a year and a half, to begin Friday. According to the report, the blockade of Gaza would largely be lifted, but Israel would able to bar imports of four categories of material that could be used to produce weapons. Hamas would commit to refrain from smuggling, and in particular to stop digging smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt. Shalit is not mentioned in the draft, which is almost identical to the terms of the six-month cease-fire that preceded the recent fighting in Gaza. Related articles: Top defense official Gilad heads to Cairo for Gaza truce talks Sarkozy tells Noam Shalit: Gilad is alive Bookmark to del.icio.us   Words of hope Hamas leader Zahar: Final word on Israel truce proposal soon. Iran talks Biden: U.S. will to talk to Iran and take action if necessary.   1.   simple deal even for you olmert 05:42  |  got more clues 06/02/09   2.   He`s Making a List, Checking it Twice 07:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 06/02/09   3.   Israel is giving the use of force a bad name. 08:28  |  Natallie Durson 06/02/09   4.   The last decent thing this crook could do 09:16  |  Clickfool 06/02/09   5.   #2, Mark says "no games" 09:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/02/09   6.   #4 since you hate Israel we know they should do the opposite... 02:06  |  McQueen 07/02/09   7.   Alas ! Olmert passed the time of giving free more gestures.. 04:15  |  Akram Zekaria 07/02/09   8.   3~Natallie Durson. Hamas giving politics a bad name.. 04:23  |  Akram Zekaria 07/02/09   9.   This is not serious and it`s simply an election ploy .. 08:57  |  martin knopfman 07/02/09   10.   Why wasn`t this done two and a half years ago? 09:29  |  Tzfonit 07/02/09   11.   I want oldmert in prison before he leaves office,but it aint 09:32  |  glenna 07/02/09   12.   Mark of Lewiston, let`s find out if they`re naughty or nice. 09:39  |  Tzfonit 07/02/09   13.   good question Tzfonit 10:04  |  rm 07/02/09   14.   To glenna 11. No it aint going to happen, 10:21  |  Hemingway 07/02/09   15.   Mark of Lewiston (2nd try) Gonna see if they`re... 11:33  |  Tzfonit 07/02/09

Read & React Israel deports passengers from impounded Gaza-bound ship Responses: 120 Haaretz poll: Kadima, Likud neck and neck Responses: 38 The philosopher who gave the IDF moral justification in Gaza Responses: 84 Turkey prosecutor to probe whether Gaza op was 'genocide' Responses: 68 UNRWA suspends Gaza aid after Hamas steals food and supplies Responses: 147 More Headlines 01:47 Shas' Rabbi Yosef: Voting for Lieberman gives strength to Satan 00:51 Palestinian PM: No Israeli leader has 'reasonable solution' to conflict 00:59 Noam Shalit: Hard to believe there is a deal on Gilad 22:40 Report: Iran behind attempt to funnel millions of dollars into Gaza from Egypt 20:18 Hamas leader Zahar: Final word on Israel truce proposal soon 18:17 UN: Cargo of Iranian ship seized en route to Gaza violates resolution 1747 14:38 Biden: U.S. will to talk to Iran, will act if necessary 19:14 World Jewish Congress asks Venezuela to protect Jewish community 17:24 Palestinian Authority: Hamas used Gaza hospitals as detention centers 14:53 Lieberman's anti-Arab ideology wins over Israel's teens 14:56 Report: Bishop who denied Holocaust to examine evidence on Nazi killings 14:33 ADL head decries 'pandemic of anti-Semitism' following Gaza offensive 16:47 Iran: Nuclear and space technological progress reached under sanctions 17:27 UNRWA suspends Gaza aid after Hamas steals food and supplies 01:50 IAF strikes south Gaza targets after two rockets hit Israel Previous Editions Select Day 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 02 feb 01 feb 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 26 jan 25 jan

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