British consul-general meets Haniyeh on missing BBC reporter
Top British official: Consul-General requested meeting, talks with Hamas PM would touch on Alan Johnston only.
By News AgenciesA senior British diplomat met Tuesday with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to discuss the fate of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, kidnapped by Palestinian militants in Gaza almost two months ago.
"This unfortunate incident is of great concern to the British government," said Richard Makepeace, the U.K. consul-general in Jerusalem, as he left Haniyeh's office in Gaza.
Makepeace requested the meeting, said a senior British diplomat, who declined to be identified under consulate rules.
The diplomat said the meeting was only to discuss the matter of Johnston, and did not signify a break in Britain's boycott of Hamas. The two men also met last month.
Palestinian officials have recently said that contacts with the kidnappers are underway, and that they received assurances that Johnston is in good health.
Haniyeh aide Ahmed Youssef said Monday that the case is on its way to being resolved, but would not give details.
Johnston, 44, was abducted by gunmen on March 12, and has not been seen or heard from since.
Haniyeh said last week that British officials had rejected a Palestinian proposal to use force in order to secure Johnston's release.
Youssef said Monday that Palestinian officials are trying to persuade the kidnappers that they are mistaken in using Islamic justifications.
He denied a newspaper report listing the demands of the kidnappers - a tract of land from the Palestinian government, $5 million from the British government, and the release of an Iraqi woman sentenced to death in Jordan for her role in the 2005 hotel bombings in Amman, carried out by Al-Qaida.
|
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh meeting with British Consul-General Richard Makepeace in Gaza City on Tuesday. (AP) |
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
are unacceptable and all have been abducted must be released now, without pre-conditions, if the Palestinians want to receive any degreee of either sympathy (if they deserve any, of course) or money. The Palestinian government must see to it that both Shalit and Johnson are released now, and if such a government can not govern on such a tiny little territory, it should not be treated as such, by anyone.
Colin, what you have to understand is that you have israeli politicians who can communicate to get Shalit released. British politicians will work to british citizen released. Besides, i love the way Hamas is working to get Alan released but not Shalit. Peace and Makelove.
Mr Makepeace could only speak to Mr Haniyeh about Gilad Shalit if the Israeli Government had asked him to. Maybe you would like to suggest this to them?
Somebody at the BBC remembered that Alan Johnston was missing and had been for eight weeks and for the first time in admitted the possibility that he might have been kidnapped. but they are still not sure that he was. Of course there is still the possibility that he might be having an extended business lunch or just have forgotten where he lives. His family were given an airing on the news after he had been missing for a month but are no longer considered newsworthy. It is worthwhile considering what the BBC's attitude might have been if he had been arrested by Israel for defamation of the Israeli people. Quiet they wouldn't have been.
Colin misses what I think is a more interesting fact. Johnson was resident and active in Gaza of his own free will,and was friendly and sympathetic to the Arab cause.In spite of these well known facts he was kidnapped and has been kept incommunicado for almost 2 months. What does this say about the chances of Israel getting our soldier returned safely, other than by force? I am afraid that the armed mob rule now the norm in Gaza will prevent any civilized approach being effective.
Hey !!!Mr makepeace is ou shalit not worth the same as johnson.Why talk only of your captive.Make it a condition that both be released.Of course the British do not value jewish lives equal to man from england but taht you live in Israel try and placate the israeli's as well.Am sure Israel does think of the british living in Israel as un equals and not 2nd hand citizens.