Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., January 22, 2008 Shvat 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:28 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Freed Palestinian prisoners arriving in the West Bank, last December (AP) Last update - 17:28 21/01/2008 Source: Israel won't free two-thirds of prisoners Hamas wants released By Amos Harel and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Israel, Hamas, prisoners  Even after changing the criteria for releasing Palestinian prisoners, Israel will not agree to free 300 of the 450 prisoners whose release Hamas is seeking, sources in the Israeli defense establishment told Haaretz. The Islamist organization has in recent months given the Israeli government the 450 names as part of a proposed prisoner-exchange deal involving the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, whom Hamas abducted in June, 2006 and has supposedly been holding ever since. The sources said that officials in the defense establishment have decided that 300 of the 450 prisoners were "involved in grave acts of terrorism, and played a crucial role in terrorist attacks, which resulted in the murder of Israeli citizens." Advertisement Some sources say that making the criteria more lenient could speed up negotiations on the Israeli soldier's return. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday convened the special ministerial forum dealing with the issue of prisoner releases, comprising Vice Premier Haim Ramon, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann and Minister Ami Ayalon. Sources close to the forum said that the ministers are inclined to authorize the release of prisoners serving short sentences, as well as prisoners suffering from health problems. Negotiations with Hamas are reportedly being conducted with the help of Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman and his staff from the Egyptian General Intelligence service. Senior Israeli officials involved with the indirect negotiations with Hamas have in the past few days expressed concerns that Hamas will decide to cease negotiations and put the talks on Shalit's release in "deep freeze," as Iran and Hezbollah did with Israel Air Force navigator Ron Arad, who has been missing in action since abandoning his jet fighter in Lebanon in 1986, and whose fate remains unknown. Other officials said they doubted Hamas would follow Hezbollah's example, because unlike Hezbollah and Iran in the case of Ron Arad, Hamas has already admitted it is holding Gilad Shalit. The killing last week of Hussam al-Zahar, a son of Hamas senior official Mahmoud al-Zahar, also gave rise to concerns in Israel that talks over Shalit's release would founder. A senior official from the defense establishment told Haaretz that Hamas is seeing the emergence of internal dissent over whether to press on with negotiations on the proposed prisoner-exchange deal. Hamas' political bureau chief Khaled Meshal - who is in exile in Syria - as well as some of the organization's other leaders are reportedly eager to reach an understanding on Shalit and to strike a deal. Others, particularly the leaders of Hamas' military wings, are still undecided about the move, according to Israeli sources. Related articles: Diskin and top negotiator clash over prisoner release criteria The prisoner exchange rate: 400 Palestinians for every Israeli Clearing out the jails Lethal Word Games Bookmark to del.icio.us   L.A.-bound The Israeli film "Beaufort" has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Virtual trees The JNF takes tree-planting online for Tu B'Shvat during the shmita year.   1.   Israel is the tail of the hamas dog 04:40  |  bernard ross 21/01/08   2.   Israel should not free any prisoners, "people" who set out 05:15  |  Anat 21/01/08   3.   Who would have thought? 05:25  |  Jon 21/01/08   4.   NO MORE PRISONERS RELEASED TILL SHALIT COMES HOME 07:28  |  Shepherd 21/01/08   5.   One for one 07:40  |  Adrian de Klerk 21/01/08   6.   Special rules for Jews, once again. 07:46  |  Natallie Durson 21/01/08   7.   Hamas` Irreligious Exploitation of Israel`s Religious Ideology 08:28  |  Lavi 21/01/08   8.   Make it contingent 08:58  |  sh 21/01/08   9.   Hamas makes demands and sends Qassams 10:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/01/08   10.   NATALLIE DURSON again 10:57  |  Gil 21/01/08   11.   Why Release Even One Prisoner? 11:30  |  M. Duvduvani 21/01/08   12.   DEMANDING 400 + Arabs for one Israeli.?What kind of deal is that? 11:33  |  PETER SM 21/01/08   13.   Don`t be silly Cip.J.K ~9 11:34  |  examiner 21/01/08   14.   Gil. Mistakes in your post.~10 11:41  |  examiner 21/01/08   15.   Well Hamas won`t release Shalit then 11:42  |  Stephen Murray 21/01/08   16.   #14 examiner needs to be examined 12:09  |  v hardman 21/01/08   17.   #13, examiner, examine your facts 12:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/01/08   18.   Cipora~17 Get your facts in correct order. 12:48  |  examiner 21/01/08   19.   v hardman 13:01  |  examiner 21/01/08   20.   Israel won`t free them YET - ERRATA 13:05  |  Ignacio 21/01/08   21.   To #4 13:44  |  Hilda 21/01/08   22.   Free the Palestinians already 14:05  |  Fussion 21/01/08   23.   #6 14:10  |  Moshe 21/01/08   24.   #22 Fussion 16:33  |  Axel 21/01/08   25.   dear cipora. you tacitly affirm that idf 16:43  |  bozhidar balkas 21/01/08   26.   #24 17:29  |  Moshe 21/01/08   27.   #25 17:43  |  Moshe 21/01/08   28.   Prisoner release 19:50  |  Rozz 21/01/08   29.   Nataie durson.... it`s war natalie, it`s waar. Don`t you get it. 19:53  |  Rozz 21/01/08   30.   Stephen Murray (4th attempt, obviously radical ideas involved) 20:16  |  Nik "BANNED" Miller 21/01/08   31.   #18, examiner, you know not the facts 21:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/01/08   32.   Cipora examine that examiner 23:01  |  Jasmine Murphy 21/01/08   33.   examiner 23:04  |  Jasmine Murphy 21/01/08   34.   Cip #31 `know not the facts` duh! 23:43  |  examiner 21/01/08   35.   But will Olmert get to pick? 01:44  |  Mark Lincoln 22/01/08   36.   Natallie Durson #6 02:03  |  Proud IDF `thug` 22/01/08   37.   Cip #31 `know not the facts` duh! 02:34  |  examiner 22/01/08   38.   EXAMINER Re Hardman and who were you before you became "examiner" 05:08  |  PETER SM 22/01/08   39.   While Israel is soft hearted to relieve "humanitarian crisis" 05:18  |  Genuine Tosefta 22/01/08   40.   #34, examiner, you need an education 05:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/01/08   41.   EXAMINER Hamas& Al Qeida"My enemies enemy is my friend"Arab provb 06:28  |  PETER SM 22/01/08   42.   and we won`t give Hamas nuclear weapons either! 07:49  |  Mark Hamil 22/01/08   43.   cipora you need to lose your arrogance 09:45  |  examiner 22/01/08   44.   #26 Moshe 10:03  |  Axel 22/01/08   45.   #43, examiner, lose your own arrogance 10:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/01/08   46.   cip.JK take deep breaths now. 17:54  |  examiner 22/01/08   47.   This is a bargain free shalit for free if you can 22:57  |  Sabra 22/01/08

Today Online Gaza power restored after Israel delivers fuel, gas to the Strip Responses: 163 U.S. immigrant beaten up in 'pogrom' by ultra-Orthodox gang Responses: 120 Palestinian officials: 40% of Gazans lack running water Responses: 70 Israel fears int'l push to hand over Gaza borders to PA control Responses: 63 UN: Despite Israel's promises, West Bank barriers increase Responses: 59 Rosner's Domain The Bible not written to be amended. The Constitution was (WTR) Domain's Guest: "all Jews are responsible for one another" Rosner's Mailbox: Huckabee the candidate who would not sell Israel out Why Republican candidate Mike Huckabee worries Jewish voters Meadow Soprano is more proud of Israel than the US (WTR) More Headlines 23:19 PA court sentences killers of two Israelis to 15 years 22:42 Hamas chief Meshal: No end to rockets until IDF halts 'onslaught' 23:14 Israel unveils plans for missile to counter Hezbollah missiles 23:15 Bolton: Chance Bush will okay strike on Iran is 'close to zero' 20:34 Israeli film Beaufort nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film 23:03 Munich says carnival parade on Holocaust Day is unstoppable 22:35 Shas escalates threat to quit Olmert gov't over Jerusalem talks 21:21 Israeli, Palestinian envoys trade blame at the UN over Gaza 22:59 High Court suggests compromise on buses segregating men, women 18:55 Israeli Arabs protest Gaza crisis; rightists stage counter-protest 20:27 German minister says six powers agree on new Iran resolution 23:05 Popular Israeli drama remade by HBO for American audience Previous Editions Select Day 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan

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