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Abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. (Archives)
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Last update - 22:18 24/12/2007
Gov't delays decision on easing criteria for freeing Palestinians
By Barak Ravid, Amos Harel, and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents, and the Associated Press
Tags: Hamas, Ehud Olmert 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday sought cabinet support to ease Israel's stringent requirements for releasing Palestinian prisoners, hoping to clear the way for a deal to win the freedom of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.

But officials delayed a decision, saying they wanted to hold more discussions this week, Olmert's office announced. Reflecting the sensitivity of the matter, meeting participants were barred from talking to the media until a final decision is announced.

Likud MK Yuval Steinitz warned Thursday against the proposal to relax the criteria for freeing Palestinian prisoners.
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The proposal to change criteria prohibiting the release of prisoners with "blood on their hands" - meaning prisoners responsible for Israeli deaths in terror attacks - would "strengthen terror," Steinitz said.

Government officials told Haaretz on Sunday that Olmert had recently been examining options to relax the criteria for freeing Palestinian prisoners with "blood on their hands," and that cabinet secretary Oved Yehezkel has established a ministerial forum to discuss the issue with security officials and submit recommendations to the prime minister.

Forum members are Vice Premier Haim Ramon, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and Minister without Portfolio Ami Ayalon.

The forum is expected to meet Monday evening in order to discuss the issue.

"Officials involved in the Shalit affair have the feeling that there is a need for greater pragmatism on Israel's part on the issue of prisoners and that the criteria might be changed in such a way to be more suitable to the existing reality," a government official said.

Defense officials say that no senior Hamas prisoners could be released without changing the criteria that prohibit the release of prisoners with "blood on their hands." Government sources said they hoped the forum's recommendations would signal Hamas to move ahead on a prisoner swap.

Former deputy defense minister Ephraim Sneh told Army Radio on Monday that a change in the criteria was necessary to actualize a prisoner exchange.

"We are in such a situation that, if we continue with the criteria that was used in the past, there will be no one else left to free," Sneh, a lawmaker in the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, told Army Radio.

"If we want to free prisoners ... and bring about the release of Gilad Shalit, we will have to broaden this," he added.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the family of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit on Sunday that there had been no breakthrough in the quest for his release.

During a meeting in his Jerusalem office, Olmert also told the family that he personally, the government, and the defense establishment, would continue to do everything possible to attain the missing Israel Defense Forces soldier's release.

Olmert's meeting with the Shalit family was set a few weeks ago, but became more timely in the context of reports that Israel and Hamas might renew talks under Egyptian mediation.

In response to the government's announcement and the political curtain hanging over a possible prisoner exchange, the Shalit family said, "we all must remember that Gilad is not just the son and soldier of the Shalit family but of all of Israel, both on the right and also on the left."

Barak to visit Cairo to discuss Shalit release
Defense Minister Ehud Barak is to travel to Cairo on Wednesday to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and intelligence chief Oman Suleiman, who is in charge of talks with Hamas. Shalit's release is to be a main topic in the talks.

The Shalit affair has once again risen to the surface following reports that Ofer Dekel, the official in charge of prisoner exchanges, had held talks in Cairo and that the Egyptians wanted to renew talks with Hamas. On Saturday, Ayalon indicated that the criteria for the release of prisoners should be changed and that given the lack of a military option to rescue Shalit, the only possibility is a prisoner swap.

Officials close to the talks on Shalit's release said a truce between Israel and Hamas might contribute to a better atmosphere in talks on a swap.

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      1.   release of prisoners 00:29  |  iser 24/12/07
      2.   1. i agree!! 00:38  |  no really 24/12/07
      3.   He should give them a day in court too. 00:44  |  POP 24/12/07
      4.   Oslo Fools 00:54  |  BobUSA 24/12/07
      5.   Gilad Shalit in exchange for truce 00:59  |  Free Gilad Shalit 24/12/07
      6.   Blood on your hands doesn`t wash off 01:11  |  Conroy 24/12/07
      7.   5. Shalit for 10,000 palestinian prisoner 01:42  |  Lets make a deal!!! 24/12/07
      8.   6. the most hardener of criminal terrorist 01:44  |  truth 24/12/07
      9.   More betrayal of Israel 01:48  |  Frank 24/12/07
      10.   On second thought, maybe Israel could stop KIDNAPPING them. 01:49  |  POP 24/12/07
      11.   It`s the money, stupid... 01:49  |  dav zee 24/12/07
      12.   Israel is the best soap-oprea on the internet. 01:50  |  Suzy 24/12/07
      13.   Why even bother arresting them if israel sets them all free 02:07  |  bollackstothe rules 24/12/07
      14.   does olmert have any pyschological problems?? 02:32  |  vik 24/12/07
      15.   #6, "truth", non recognition works both ways 02:55  |  Conroy 24/12/07
      16.   When will Shalit come home? 03:03  |  sandra chitayat 24/12/07
      17.   PM mulls easing criteria for freeing prisoners 03:11  |  martin list,M.D. 24/12/07
      18.   Will Shalit be released ? 03:12  |  sandra chitayat 24/12/07
      19.   Absolutely no release of terrorists... 04:04  |  Marwan مروان خوري 24/12/07
      20.   They don`t want to free the real prisoners 05:28  |  Frank 24/12/07
      21.   free gilad shalit 5 05:45  |  realism 24/12/07
      22.   Pragmatsim ? No, More Like Appeasement 06:01  |  Tod Zuckerman 24/12/07
      23.   all for nothing... 07:07  |  EA 24/12/07
      24.   criteria 07:23  |  rm 24/12/07
      25.   Israels current strategy will not lead to a Shalit release 08:38  |  Natallie Durson 24/12/07
      26.   EYES on THE PRIZE 09:42  |  Rich 24/12/07
      27.   Sounds like Matan Vilnai should resign or be fired 09:47  |  Joe Sittizen 24/12/07
      28.   REALISM Arabs kill captured Israelis thats real difference 09:55  |  PETER SM 24/12/07
      29.   POP " day in court"like you give Israelis or Johnstone 10:00  |  PETER SM 24/12/07
      30.   N DURSON Daily Qassems & NO RECOGNITION EVER policy of Hamas 10:28  |  PETER SM 24/12/07
      31.   Shalit is hostage to Israeli belligerence 10:36  |  Ivar 24/12/07
      32.   BLOOD ON THEIR HEADS? 11:14  |  indrajaya 24/12/07
      33.   Only a mass release of Pal prisoners will secure Shalit`s freedom 11:20  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      34.   For Peter SM # 30 11:28  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      35.   #25 NUTTY-LEE sez............ 11:30  |  Ari ben Yisrael 24/12/07
      36.   OT: Britain`s No.1 record this Christmas 11:46  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      37.   peter sm 28 11:46  |  realism 24/12/07
      38.   CFOOL Israel has talked to Egypt,Jordan,Lebanon 11:47  |  PETER SM 24/12/07
      39.   This is Obscenity 12:07  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
      40.   # 1 release of prisoner 12:10  |  BARUCH AHSEM 24/12/07
      41.   # 5 RELESACE 10000 PRISONERS AND LETS MAKE A DEAL. 12:28  |  BARUCH AHSEM 24/12/07
      42.   # 21 12:40  |  Christian Van Nieker 24/12/07
      43.   farmer prisoner 12:40  |  moadh hamed 24/12/07
      44.   #39, Klaudia 12:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
      45.   Is it asking too much of this govt. to show some common DECENCY ? 12:44  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
      46.   Olmert speak to Red Cross and United Nations 12:49  |  lily 24/12/07
      47.   # 28 REALISM 12:50  |  Mordecai Ben Natan 24/12/07
      48.   # 41 release of terroist prisoners. 13:02  |  Christian Van Nieker 24/12/07
      49.   To Cipora #43 13:13  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
      50.   Don`t be silly, Lily # 46 13:34  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      51.   REALISM Gulag When did the Red Cross visit? 13:39  |  PETER SM 24/12/07
      52.   For Klaudia, on "Israel the Good" # 48 13:40  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
      53.   History repeats itself. 13:52  |  MR 24/12/07
      54.   israel,in spite of the ongoing muderous incursions into Gaza has 13:54  |  lakshmi 24/12/07
      55.   19. mossadi you should be locked up 13:54  |  reasonable 24/12/07
      56.   # 46 Lily. Re; Red Cross. 13:57  |  Stephen. 24/12/07
      57.   To Clickfool # 52 The adjective maniac 14:21  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
      58.   Israel has a right to defend against terror at all costs! 15:00  |  Lakshmi 24/12/07
      59.   #50 15:06  |  MR 24/12/07
      60.   mordechai ben natan 47 15:16  |  realism 24/12/07
      61.   Israel is good. 15:23  |  Steve 24/12/07
      62.   peter sm 51 15:25  |  realism 24/12/07
      63.   Hmmm, does Israel torture it`s prisoners? Merry Xmas 15:28  |  POP 24/12/07
      64.   klaudia 52 15:29  |  realism 24/12/07
      65.   12. Suzy? its on your nickle 15:35  |  taxes 24/12/07
      66.   Do not free him 15:43  |  Dav 24/12/07
      67.   Self help books are made for people like POP 15:44  |  Gushiemooshie 24/12/07
      68.   63. pop you da man but please 15:45  |  christian 24/12/07
      69.   57 Klaudia re: Clicky, YOU GO GIRL....it is so obvious 15:51  |  The Equalizer 24/12/07
      70.   My prayers are with you and your captures Gilad 15:54  |  Virginia 24/12/07
      71.   Pop, Stand that X up, and find yourself at the foot of the +