Carter proposal: Exchange Shalit for dozens of Hamas politicians

Former United States President Jimmy Carter is trying to achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations over the release of kidnapped Israel soldier Gilad Shalit.

A senior adviser to Carter, Robert Pastor, visited Israel last week, as part of a regional tour that included visits to the Gaza Strip, Damascus and Cairo.

Pastor met with Shas leader Eli Yishai, and said that Carter would like to arrange a tripartite meeting with a senior Hamas figure. An Israeli source said that Pastor also presented a new initiative to expedite the deal.

Under the deal, Israel would release several dozen prisoners a confidence-building measure, including Hamas parliamentarians and ministers arrested after Shalit's abduction in June 2006. In return, Shalit would be brought to Egypt, where his family would be able to visit him. After this stage, negotiations for the release of more Palestinian prisoners and Shalit's return home would continue.

Meanwhile, ministers who participated in cabinet deliberations on the matter yesterday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said that Israel will have to show greater flexibility in its negotiations with Hamas in order to free Shalit.

Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation from the Gaza Strip is expected to visit Cairo later this week in order to discuss an Egyptian proposal to renew the indirect negotiations between the two sides.

If there is progress in the talks between senior Egyptian intelligence officials and Hamas representatives, Israeli negotiator Ofer Dekel will also travel to Cairo for talks next week.

Olmert is likely to resume cabinet discussions on the criteria for which Palestinian prisoners can be released in exchange for Shalit, the Israel Defense Forces soldier who was abducted from Israeli territory two years ago.

A similar discussion took place six months ago, headed by Vice Premier Haim Ramon.

Security and political sources said yesterday that the restrictions on the prisoner criteria must be relaxed in order to achieve progress on the talks. To date, Israel has agreed to release 71 of the hundreds of people proposed by Hamas.

Ministers involved say they have no illusions of reaching an agreement unless dozens of prisoners sentenced to life are released - including those who were involved in serious terrorist operations.

Israel is also hoping that Egypt will increase its pressure on Hamas to be more flexible.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak believes that it is important to utilize the tahadiyeh (cease-fire) in order to push through a deal for Shalit.

During discussions yesterday, Barak said he believed a gag order might be necessary, because Hamas may try to use the Israeli media in its bargaining.

This comes following the recent negotiations for reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Barak explained, as well as "loose talk" from ministers who stated that Hamas will up its demands in exchange for Shalit.

"It is essential to impose a heavy curtain of censorship in order to bring Gilad [Shalit] home," Barak said yesterday. "We must not conduct this struggle with our cards open - it gives a significant and unjustified advantage to the other side."