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Last update - 19:41 27/06/2008
Shin Bet agrees to free prisoners 'with blood on their hands' for Shalit
By Amos Harel and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Shin Bet, Yuval Diskin 

Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin has somewhat softened his position regarding the prisoners who could be released in return for Shalit. Diskin is now prepared to release some prisoners "who have the blood of Israelis on their hands," so long as the risk they pose is lessened.

The government's coordinator for hostage negotiations, Ofer Dekel, left for Cairo on Thursday, where talks have resumed over a deal to secure the release of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.

Shalit was abducted two years ago in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants, and has since remained in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
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Sources in the defense establishment expressed satisfaction at the renewed effort to advance the deal, and in particular at the increased Egyptian role in mediating between the parties.

The resumption of the talks is part of the agreements Israel and Egypt reached in connection with the cease-fire (tahadiyeh) between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Dekel held meetings in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials, headed by Egypt's intelligence chief, General Omar Suleiman. Simultaneously, talks are taking place between Egypt and Hamas. Dekel was supposed to talk to his hosts about the procedural aspects of the talks, while gaining an impression as to areas where Hamas might prove flexible.

Israeli officials are encouraged by the Egyptians' attitude toward the mediation, which they found to be more serious and thorough this time around. The intention is to conduct intensive negotiations in the near future, in order to advance a deal. The gaps between the sides are still substantial, primarily because of Hamas' demand that Israel release dozens of its members who are serving multiple life sentences for their roles in suicide bombings that killed and wounded many.

The solution being proposed is to transfer such inmates who are from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip or another country. A similar solution was used in the deal involving the wanted militants who holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in 2002. Dekel is in favor of a similar arrangement, as are Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al Hayat reported on Thursday that Egypt had given Israel a list of 1,000 prisoners Hamas wants freed in return for Shalit, but Israel objected to 75 percent of them. According to the paper's sources, the deal in the works is set to include the release of 150 Palestinian inmates in the first stage, in return for Shalit being transferred to Egypt, where his family will be able to visit him. On Shalit's return to Israel, 800 additional prisoners will be released in two stages.

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      1.   Praise God!!! An end in sight for many suffering families!!! 03:56  |  God is GOOD 27/06/08
      2.   Verse of the day @ Biblegateway.com 03:59  |  Immanuel 27/06/08
      3.   blood in their hands 04:10  |  Shmuelshachor 27/06/08
      4.   WHAT`S GOOD FOR LEBANON SWAP , IS GOOD FOR SHALIT TOO? 05:09  |  NEIL GOLAN 27/06/08
      5.   In other news... 05:13  |  dyinglikeflies 27/06/08
      6.   Shalit prisoner exchange 06:52  |  abraham cohen 27/06/08
      7.   Released to Gaza 07:19  |  Ron 27/06/08
      8.   MERT HAS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS AND HE`S STILL WALKING AROUND FREE! 07:23  |  glenna 27/06/08
      9.   Israel should have a deportation option for Palestinian felons 07:35  |  David G 27/06/08
      10.   950 for 1 07:36  |  Daniel 27/06/08
      11.   Further NEWS....... 07:45  |  Dagma 27/06/08
      12.   What of the Palestinian prisoners with no "Israeli blood... 08:00  |  Maureen Ann 27/06/08
      13.   Shmuelshachor, beware the hook... 08:00  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      14.   The 1st five responses in this thread are like wow man... 08:06  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      15.   A decision that might cost hundreds of victims. 08:06  |  Jean Van Daem 27/06/08
      16.   Oslo Gang should serve out their sentences 08:27  |  BobUSA 27/06/08
      17.   # 3 Shmuelshachor 08:53  |  Palestinian 27/06/08
      18.   It`s what happens when someone has you by the short and curlies 09:19  |  Clickfool 27/06/08
      19.   to Shmuelshachor 09:24  |  jhon 27/06/08
      20.   LANGUAGE OF FORCE IS WORKING AS ALWAYS 09:42  |  indrajaya 27/06/08
      21.   Blood on their hands. What a farce... 09:59  |  Natallie Durson 27/06/08
      22.   Do not free mass murderers they will only kill again 10:30  |  Baruch Gold 27/06/08
      23.   Freeing those with "blood on their hands" leads to more blood 10:31  |  Baruch Gold 27/06/08
      24.   Freeing Terrorist is akin to murder 10:50  |  Baruch Gold 27/06/08
      25.   THE JUDGES OF ISRAEL CORRUPT JUSTICE!!! 10:59  |  Ben Uziel 27/06/08
      26.   Soldiers on Both Sides have Blood on Their Hands 11:32  |  Johan Odin 27/06/08
      27.   Ah, the hands... 11:36  |  Esther 27/06/08
      28.   Well Said #19 Natalie 11:45  |  Mr. Know-It-All 27/06/08
      29.   there are other ways 11:57  |  tsipora 27/06/08
      30.   # 20, BARUCH GOLD 12:10  |  indrajaya 27/06/08
      31.   Shocker - Israel caving in 12:56  |  Kenny 27/06/08
      32.   HAMAS GIVES US SHALIT 12:57  |  Robert 27/06/08
      33.   Major damage to the entire system. 13:11  |  Gilad 27/06/08
      34.   We have no choice, IDF too weak to free Shalit in raid 13:13  |  Yossi Cronenberg 27/06/08
      35.   dont care.stop feeding them and release them in the hell hole 13:27  |  judea 27/06/08
      36.   blood on their hands? PROVE IT! 13:28  |  bashar 27/06/08
      37.   clickfool we have much to be arrogant about 13:29  |  judea 27/06/08
      38.   Public negotiations 13:30  |  Charlie 27/06/08
      39.   bad joke 14:06  |  Steve 27/06/08
      40.   Re Judea #37 14:32  |  Esther 27/06/08
      41.   A subtle change in reasoning 14:45  |  Tosefta 27/06/08
      42.   Israel embrace your self for the largest wave of kidnappings 14:47  |  Simon 27/06/08
      43.   #12 Maureen Ann - Always has questions 14:59  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      44.   #14 BSnews - Not only do you have blood on your hands 15:01  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      45.   Johan 15:04  |  judith 27/06/08
      46.   Re Ben Jabo #44 15:19  |  Esther 27/06/08
      47.   It is a simple fact 15:47  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/06/08
      48.   How lucky you are, "Judea" # 37 15:50  |  Clickfool 27/06/08
      49.   esther @45 15:54  |  GABE1 27/06/08
      50.   @45 Esther of Jaffa 15:57  |  GABE1 27/06/08
      51.   Bashar - when you`re caught at a crime scene 16:05  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      52.   shin bet 16:38  |  azad 27/06/08
      53.   Who Doesn`t have Blood on Their Hands in the ME? 16:44  |  Jane 27/06/08
      54.   Baruch Gold @24 16:46  |  GABE1 27/06/08
      55.   #49 & #50 Gabe... 16:48  |  Silvienne 27/06/08
      56.   Big deal 16:56  |  Tim 27/06/08
      57.   Big deal 16:57  |  Tim 27/06/08
      58.   clickfool "below the poverty line" 16:59  |  judea 27/06/08
      59.   Re Gabe #49, 50 16:59  |  Esther 27/06/08
      60.   # 20 Wrong. If we spoke that language, you would not be here to 17:03  |  express yourself,nor 27/06/08
      61.   free prisoners 17:04  |  Ralph 27/06/08
      62.   #56 Tim - Interesting comment 17:08  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      63.   Peace of Israel 17:09  |  DovBer 27/06/08
      64.   abraham cohen is a genius 17:13  |  ephraim 27/06/08
      65.   Does the IDF 17:15  |  Joe 27/06/08
      66.   Esther @58 17:40  |  GABE1 27/06/08
      67.   frontal labotomize them all 17:44  |  real vision 27/06/08
      68.   Esther, Natallie was not exaggerating... 18:00  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      69.   Silvienne @55 18:07  |  GABE1 27/06/08
      70.   ABRAHAM COHEN 18:36  |  JOJO 27/06/08
      71.   bbs news you are full of s--t 18:37  |