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Noam Shalit, the father of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. (Moran Maayan / Jini)
Last update - 22:20 24/06/2008
Egypt: Gaza crossing will remain shut until Shalit deal reached
By Tomer Zarchin and The Associated Press
Tags: Gilad Shalit, Hamas, Israel 

Egypt assured Israel on Tuesday that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will remain closed until a deal is reached that secures the release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, an Israeli official said.

"We received assurances that Rafah crossing will not open until [Gilad] Shalit's case is solved," said a senior official who took part in the meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The leaders also discussed arms smuggling into Hamas-run Gaza during the meeting, held on the sixth day of an Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, where gunmen affiliated with Hamas have been holding Shalit for two years.
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Olmert was expected to seek assurances from Mubarak that Egypt will do more to fight smuggling into Gaza. The London-based newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat quoted Olmert as saying that if the smuggling of weapons into Gaza does not cease, Israel will consider the cease-fire agreement violated, and will be forced to respond militarily.

Opening the meeting, Mubarak said that Egypt was working to secure Shalit's release, and Olmert thanked him for Cairo's role in the Gaza cease-fire agreement.

"You filled an important role in creating conditions that stopped the terror from Gaza against Israeli residents. Egypt and Israel are strategic partners."

In exchange for Shalit, Hamas wants Israel to release 450 prisoners it is holding. Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported on Saturday that Shalit's release was being delayed by a dispute between Israel and Hamas over the fate of 30 Hamas prisoners.

In a television interview following the meeting, Mubarak said it would be unrealistic to condition the truce agreement on the soldier's release, as some critics of the agreement demanded.

He said it was more important to stop the killing on both sides. "We must remain optimistic," Mubarak responded when asked if he thought the truce would hold, but warning, "both sides can make trouble if they want."

High Court rejects Shalit family bid to keep Gaza crossings shut

The High Court of Justice on Monday rejected the petition of Noam and Aviva Shalit against Olmert, the political security cabinet, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

At the same time, the justices noted they felt the cabinet needs to give the Shalits more information on attempt to secure Gilad's release. The Shalit family had asked the court to order the government not to implement the cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza before their son's release. According to the Shalits, cabinet members were misled into thinking the agreement on Gaza linked Gilad's release to the opening of the Gaza border crossings.

The court ruled that the cabinet's decision was a policy matter, and it could not intervene. Nevertheless, a confidential part of the opinion was given only to the State Attorney's Office.

Gilad's parents said that keeping the crossings closed was Israel's only means of pressuring Hamas to release their son, and that Israel should have held on to the option of opening the crossings as its only effective bargaining chip vis-a-vis Hamas in talks for Shalit's release.

The court on Sunday instructed the cabinet to brief Shalit's parents and tell them how the talks have progressed so far, and why the government believes it should open the crossings without first securing Shalit's release.

On Sunday night, Amos Gilad, who is handling talks for Shalit's release as head of the Defense Ministry's political department, met with the Shalits to tell them Israel would not cede any leverage on Hamas by opening the crossings, and that the move would "improve the atmosphere" between the two sides. It would thus benefit efforts to bring home the corporal.

In his review of the post-cease-fire situation at the weekly cabinet meeting, Yuval Diskin, head of the Shin Bet security service, said the price Hamas is demanding for Shalit is not expected to drop following Israel's cease-fire agreement with the organization. "Those who think we can bring about Shalit's release by opening or closing the crossings are harboring illusions," he said.

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      1.   He should never have gone to the High Court. 09:08  |  S 24/06/08
      2.   S - Israel is a "tribal democracy" not a "western democracy" 13:50  |  Natallie Durson 24/06/08
      3.   photo ops over.... but what of Shalit??????? 13:52  |  Avi 24/06/08
      4.   to Durson 14:45  |  Harry 24/06/08
      5.   HARRY #4 15:01  |  noor 24/06/08
      6.   Gnatallie: Comes From the Tribe of Shiite 15:05  |  Tex 24/06/08
      7.   Harry, all democracies have constitutions, unlike so-called demo. 15:06  |  noor 24/06/08
      8.   someone should explain the term leverage to gilad ! 15:12  |  victor hardman 24/06/08
      9.   to Natalie, #2 15:32  |  Igor D. 24/06/08
      10.   Crossings are open for necessary basic supplies 15:33  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/06/08
      11.   if you believe that,i have a bridge for sale 15:56  |  chaim 24/06/08
      12.   THAT "REMAINS" TO BE SEEN!MERT STAGGERS LIKE A DRUNK;HE SWAYS... 15:59  |  glenna 24/06/08
      13.   Good, Keep it shut untill exchange. 16:24  |  Al 24/06/08
      14.   Israel in control of the Egypt-Gaza border crossing. 16:33  |  Jean Van Daem 24/06/08
      15.   The government has a right to lie to its own people. 16:58  |  Shmuel 24/06/08
      16.   Natallie - No one will contest that Israel was created for Jews. 17:07  |  S 24/06/08
      17.   Good. This says only one thing, Israel`s word is strong. And it 17:17  |  has meaning!!! 24/06/08
      18.   And does anyone believe the crossing will remain closed? 17:31  |  Shmuel 24/06/08
      19.   Noor, please inform yourself properly 17:39  |  utagawa 24/06/08
      20.   well done and many thanks, egypt. 17:49  |  frenz 24/06/08
      21.   I shall believe the Egyptians - and Olmert - only once I see 18:19  |  Former Egyptian Jew 24/06/08
      22.   Well done Egypt!!! Indeed."May YHWH Bless you and keep you; YHWH 18:31  |  cause His face to 24/06/08
      23.   # 18, I believe it will, for the good of all, until issues are 18:35  |  resolved and 24/06/08
      24.   Next headline to read: Hamas has returned Gilad and he will be 18:54  |  returning from Egypt 24/06/08
      25.   NO NO NO NO NO NO NO 18:56  |  Mark 24/06/08
      26.   "Morning has broken, like the first morning" Cat Stephens 18:59  |  Every day is new 24/06/08
      27.   #2 - I`ll call you on that Natallie... 20:46  |  JES 24/06/08
      28.   Natallie Durson #2 23:16  |  Free Gilad Shalit 24/06/08
      29.   What a shocking Israeli double standard... 01:52  |  Dutch 25/06/08
      30.   #15 Shmuel--well, I bet you just love Bush & Cheney 02:03  |  ballistic 25/06/08
      31.   #29 Doris/Dutch Denounces Deceptively 09:40  |  DesMnsDave 25/06/08
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