Hamas: Too soon to declare Shalit talks a failure
Senior Hamas foreign ministry official says group requires more time, some disagreements can be resolved.
By Avi Issacharoff Tags: Gilad Shalit Hamas Gaza Israel newsA senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, Ahmed Youssef, on Saturday said that it was too soon to declare prisoner exchange talks between Israel and Hamas a failure, and that the group still required more time to formulate a deal that would see the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
"Even the German mediator is still studying the progress made in past talks," Youssef said.
Youssef, a senior foreign ministry official for Hamas, added that it would take more than a few days or weeks. "There are points of serious disagreement alongside points that can be resolved," he said, adding that Israel was still refusing to release Palestinian prisoners sentenced to particularly long jail terms, whose freedom Hamas is demanding in exchange for Shalit.
Israel has said in the past that there were several prisoners on Hamas' list that it was willing to release on the condition that they not be allowed to return to Gaza. Youssef explained that the contention between Hamas and Israel was not over whether to release these prisoners to the West Bank, Gaza, or elsewhere, but rather over their very release.
On Friday, activists fighting for the release of Shalit held a Rosh Hashanah dinner at the protest tent erected across from the prime minister's home in Jerusalem.
On Thursday, Shalit's father Noam arrived at the Karni border crossing between Israel and Gaza to deliver a package addressed to his son on the occasion of the holiday. Gaza resident and reporter Sami Abid took the package and assured Noam Shalit that it would reach its intended recipient. The package contained, among other things, letters from Shalit's family, apples, pomegranates, honey, a shirt, hygiene products, a bottle of wine and candy. In exchange for the delivery of the package, Israel permitted the delivery of 100 copies of the Koran to Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
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Gilad Shalit |
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You may also assume that Israel has it's ministry of thugs. BTW, Hamas was legally and fairly elected to represent the people of Gaza and the siege of Gaza by Israel is recognized by most of the world as a criminal act, and most certainly the assault on the civilians of Gaza has been pronounced as a crime, which will be prosecuted in the world court.
And what would you call the the kidnapping of Hamas elected officials including the minister of education in Gaza in 2006? Outside of Israel it's known as a criminal act you donkey.
Stop this nonsense and let us find out who is accountable for Shalit and serve out justice. The idea of freeing murderers and rewarding hostage takers is immoral and counter productive.
unless Israel wishes to release 1000 prisoners and give Hamas $100 billion
I'm a little perplexed. I thought the only legitimate spokespeople for the Palestinian people were the Palestinian Authority. Now, I see that Hamas has its own Foreign Ministry of thugs. I assume so does Islamic Jihad, and Hizbollah? Despicable.
"Go Israel, do it, should have done it years ago; the world will blame you anyway." Rami
The Israeli should squeeze Hamas, a couple of weeks and cracks will form in the tacit support the Hamas leaders get, after that it will crumble. Go Israel, do it, should have done it years ago; the world will blame you anyway.
very fine attributes from some twisted folks point of view.
if israel was ready to give bilions of dollars for information it would get it instead of releasing some 600 prisoners that could make damages of many many more billions of dollars. and there are people in gaza who would give you information for that kind of money.. so go on shin bet. and make release him. I read about how the ex-solders went to in samaria and released the american women hostage from a palestinian man.
Gilad has no international rights or even visits. The reason being is that Hamas wants the release of hundreds of murderers for his release. A price to high and an insult to all the families of the victims. Neither fair nor just. It is time Israel puts a stop to such suicidal talks. Saluting Gilad Shalit.