Hamas: Deal for Shalit release still a long way off
Peres tells IDF soldiers: Schism between Hamas leaders in Gaza and Syria delaying prisoner swap talks.
By Jack Khoury Tags: Gilad Shalit Hamas Israel newsHamas spokesman Ayman Taha said Tuesday that a prisoner exchange deal for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces solider Gilad Shalit was still a long way off.
President Shimon Peres told IDF soldiers Monday that the release Shalit did not depend solely on Israel, but was being hampered by disagreements between Hamas' wing in the Gaza Strip and its overseas wing.
It was the first time in more than a week that a senior Israeli official has mentioned the ongoing negotiations. Media have reported of late progress in the talks, which would see Shalit freed after three years in Palestinian captivity, but Israel and Hamas have still not settled on an agreement.
Peres was responding to questions from soldiers during a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony at a Nahal Brigade base near the border between Israel and Gaza.
A source in the President's Residence said there was no political significance to Peres' remark; he "simply thought the soldiers should be spoken to sincerely."
Peres, who was accompanied by IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, also said that "Israel will do everything possible to bring our soldier son home safe and sound. That is the nation's will and that is also the soldiers' will. We are giving expression to the feeling that the fate of one soldier is the fate of all of us, the fate of the whole nation."
Peres also mentioned the issue of soldiers disobeying orders, saying, "an army without a clear and unequivocal chain of command cannot win when the day of battle comes. We all have to make sure that the IDF operates under a single command, without political interference. From the chief of staff down to the simple soldier there must be a single chain of command. There is no room for two commanders in the field. That I learned well during my time of service alongside David Ben-Gurion.
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Abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. |
| Photo by: (Reuters) |
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The sons and daughters of the rich Hamas leaders, are rarely in Gaza. They are at schools and universities in London, Bradford, Geneva, Paris, Damascus, Boston, Virginia Tech, etc. Some of them are busy building Hams and Hezbollah terror rings in the US, the UK, and Latin America. When they come home to visit they transit Egypt or other countries, including sworn enemies of Israel like Venezuela. Some of these rich kids lead typical rich kid lives gambling at casinos, etc. If a few of them are followed it should be easy to snatch them when they are on neutral territory. Poor Gazans count for nothing. Rich kids associated with Hamas financiers have good trade value. This also applies to the sons of Hezbollah leaders. Hold them as a guarantee of good behavior. Keep them in luxury apartments, if necessary, with swimming pools, but keep them as long as Hezbollah or Hamas are threatening Israel.
Hamas goal is to make us suffer as much as possible before killing us all. Gilad Shalit kidnapping and keeping him in custody are part of this strategy. Through Gilad Shalit this is Israel that they are torturing, they will never release him. Let's go there, find him and get him back in whatever state he can be.
This is how anti-Semitism works. Hamas seized Shalit. Not Bibi. Hamas is using him as a pawn to empty Israel's jails of terrorists who killed Israeli citizens who also have mothers and fathers, not Bibi. Hams can free him whenever they want, not Bibi. But no, Bibi is to blame. The Jews are always to blame.
seems to be willing to make the deal. Which means Shalit will be in for the duration.
They have no intention of releasing him. They are cruel and taunting. Our leadership are so stupid they all rush to be in the headlines daily and the Hamas laugh at us every day
Israel's right wing needs a shaheed. That's the real reason that Sgt Shalit won't be coming home soon. Israeli politicians don't want a deal. They want to dictate who and where and they want a free pass to violating Geneva IV.
How much longer this haggling which leads to nothing? How much longer is humanity tred upon for the interest of "security", settlements and occupation? How much longer?
Gilad will be home in two weeks. Israel should not worry about world opionion. Three years ago he could have been home by doing this.
Get Livni in, Shalit will be out..