Jailed Palestinians barred visits as Shalit campaign mounts

The Israel Prison Service barred Palestinians incarcerated for security-related offenses at the Shikma and Hadarim Prisons from receiving relatives' visits, in response to the growing pressure by the grassroots campaign on behalf of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.

Hundreds of activists fighting for Shalit's release demonstrated Tuesday in honor of his birthday, at the entrance to two prisons. Visits at Megiddo Prison were to be held as scheduled.

Shalit's father Noam told protesters he hoped their actions would yield the release of his son, who has been held captive by Palestinian militants since he was abducted in a 2006 cross-border raid from the Gaza Strip. "It is important that the Israeli public has its say," Shalit told the activists.

The demonstrators were calling for the government to prevent visitors to Hamas prisoners until the Islamist organization - which controls the Gaza Strip - allows the Red Cross to visit Shalit.

Clashes broke out between police and activists following the demonstration at Hadarim prison. Two activists were arrested and four more were taken in for questioning after blocking a nearby highway.

The organizers of the Shalit campaign plan to increase their public relations efforts. Last weekend, campaign officials announced they were launching a new Web site where volunteers could propose and organize events, protests and demonstrations. It also offers a platform for personal blogs.

Several high-profile figures have already agreed to get involved with the site, called "Gilad's Army of Friends." A television commercial produced by one of the country's top PR firms includes cameos by musicians Gilat Ankori, Ninet Tayeb and Yehuda Poliker, actress Keren Mor, and journalists Guy Meroz and Orly Vilnai.

The Web site organizers hope to attract 1 million visitors from Israel and abroad.

"We are setting up the Army of Friends in anticipation of the moment when the family reaches the conclusion that nothing significant has been done and decides to try a new means of struggle," a spokesman said. "Nonetheless, we still hope that these things will move in the right direction."

Last weekend, Egyptian intelligence officials met with the Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal, in Damascus.

The Egyptian delegation was headed by General Mohammed Ibrahim, who has overseen the Israel-Hamas negotiations in the Shalit affair on behalf of Cairo.

Ibrahim, an assistant to Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, is also Egypt's top official responsible for mediating the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation talks.