Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., February 27, 2008 Adar1 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 05:22 (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

Abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. (Archives) Last update - 22:29 26/02/2008 Shalit`s French lawyers say planning to meet his kidnappers By Reuters Tags: Gilad Shalit, France  Two French lawyers representing Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Palestinian militants in June 2006, will travel to Gaza this week to discuss his fate with his kidnappers, a member of the family's legal team said on Tuesday. Hamas, one of the groups holding Shalit, denied planning to hold talks with the two lawyers. The lawyers told a Paris news conference that Hamas had forwarded a letter from Shalit, who also has French nationality, to his family in recent weeks and he appeared to be in reasonable health, mentally and physically. Advertisement As a result of the goodwill shown by Hamas in sending the letter a dialogue had been established with the Islamist movement, said Emmanuel Altit, one of the legal representatives. "This dialogue led to an official invitation from the Hamas leadership to go to Gaza to meet them for talks to try to find a reasonable solution to this painful matter," he said, adding he and fellow lawyer Stephane Zerbib would leave on Saturday. Shalit, then 19, was abducted by Palestinian gunmen from Gaza during a cross-border raid in June 2006. Hamas has said it will not release him unless Israel meets its demand to free nearly 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, including 350 with life sentences. Israel has rejected these terms. A Hamas official said his organization had nothing to discuss with the lawyers. "We deny what those two lawyers have said. We have nothing to do with them or to talk to them about the Shalit affair," Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said. "This is a unique issue that is being given a unique treatment. It seems that those two lawyers are carrying out media propaganda for their own interests," he added. Altit told journalists in Paris that some Hamas leaders had threatened to kill the Israeli soldier, but that the letter had reassured his family about his well-being. "Clearly he wrote it under the control, under the supervision of his jailers, his abductors," he said. Nevertheless, it showed that he did not appear to have been too badly affected by his incarceration, Altit added. "In spite of the ill will of some of the protagonists involved ... we are hopeful of a solution," he said. Efforts spearheaded by Egyptian mediators to negotiate Shalit's release came to a halt in June last year after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Discussions since then have stalled over the prisoner swap issue. Related articles: Sources: Hamas gives Israel letter from Gilad Shalit Report: Progress made in deal to free abducted soldier Shalit Editorial: Gaza could be his downfall Bookmark to del.icio.us   Chicken or the egg? A UN human rights expert says Palestinian terror 'inevitable' result of occupation. A reason to kvell Jews are America's top-earning religious group, according to a new survey.   1.   maybe hamasnikim are actually human? 00:52  |  michelle 27/02/08   2.   Interesting times 02:46  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/02/08   3.   HELP! 04:02  |  Shalit 27/02/08   4.   Why did the French lawyers have to announce this? 04:07  |  Free Gilad Shalit 27/02/08

Today Online Rosner: Would Obama be supportive of a Likud-led Israel? Responses: 217 Yoel Marcus: Annihilating Israel truly is Iran's goal Responses: 217 Nazir Majali: Why is Israel destroying its ties to Egypt? Responses: 80 Report: Widow of Hezbollah No. 2 says Syria killed him Responses: 134 PM: I'm unsure peace deal with PA possible in 2008 Responses: 77 Rosner's Domain Jews mostly stay Jewish (WTR) Would Obama be supportive of an Israel governed by Likud? Poll: Is it time for Israel to end the blockade in Gaza? Obama`s top adviser says does not believe in imposing a peace settlement McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother More Headlines 03:01 Egypt intel chief due in Israel for Shalit, Gaza talks 02:13 Japanese PM Fukuda exhorts Israel to adhere to road map 02:32 Haaretz-Dialog poll: Most Israelis back direct talks with Hamas 22:38 Officials: Israel let Egypt boost Gaza border troops 01:02 Jewish groups mull Durban meet in wake of Israel boycott 05:05 Omri Sharon to begin 7-month prison term for fraud 01:57 Proposed Shas bill takes aim at sex, gambling Web sites 04:47 Sderot boy injured by rocket to undergo further operations 22:29 Shalit`s French lawyers say planning to meet his kidnappers 19:45 UN expert: Palestinian terror 'inevitable' result of occupation 01:44 Wise and courageous, late ex-IDF chief leaves lasting legacy Previous Editions Select Day 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb

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