Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday issued a veiled attack on Defense Minister Ehud Barak for sparking "exaggerated and damaging" reports on a deal for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
"There is ongoing treatment of the Gilad Shalit issue, which is coordinated by me personally. The recent publications are exaggerated and damaging and are absolutely unnecessary," said Olmert at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.
Barak has recently given a number of interviews on the matter. On Friday night, he told Channel 1 that Israel was making "supreme efforts" to bring the soldier home.
Olmert added: "I awoke this morning to a stream of media reports regarding Gilad Shalit. These reports did not come from me or from my office."
The prime minister's comments came after significant progress had been made in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding a new cease-fire formula in the Gaza Strip that will also include the reopening of the border crossings and the release of Shalit.
"This complex and sensitive process requires due caution regarding all that is said," Olmert said. "When there is something to inform the public, I will do so. It is clear that we all hope that the day when Gilad Shalit returns to his family will come as soon as possible. We will not slacken in our efforts to achieve this."
Before the cabinet meeting, Barak said the price that Israel would have to pay in the deal would be "heavy and painful," adding that the government must reach a decision on the issue.
"Egypt can contribute to the Shalit problem and therefore it is in the picture. The effort that has been made is a supreme effort. It is impossible to say more than this, because that does not help the matter," Barak said.
Olmert, meanwhile, has been making great efforts in recent weeks to clinch a deal for the release of Shalit, and recently said privately that he is determined to try to bring the soldier home before he leaves office.
People who have spoken to him told Haaretz that Olmert wants to "clear his desk" before the end of his term by resolving the Shalit case.
