Egypt: Shalit will disappear unless Israel compromises with Hamas
New Israeli negotiator reportedly told Egyptian intelligence officials that if Hamas did not agree to latest deal for prisoner swap, there would be no deal at all.
By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel Tags: Gilad Shalit Egypt Benjamin NetanyahuThe fifth anniversary this Saturday of the abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has seen a burst of activity on all sides to negotiate his release.
Egyptian security officials involved in the talks told Haaretz over the weekend that the approach by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new envoy to the talks, David Meidan, could scuttle the negotiations and lead to Shalit's "disappearance."
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Cardboard figures of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. |
| Photo by: Tess Scheflan |
The Egyptians said Meidan told Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo last week that if Hamas did not agree to the latest deal proposed by Israel, there would be no deal at all.
The Egyptians said the Hamas negotiators, headed by the group's military chief, Ahmed Jabari, had responded to the Israeli approach with a clear threat that the talks would end and a deal for Shalit would be off the table.
Hamas said Israel's unwillingness to go further than its last offer would lead to Shalit's disappearance, the Egyptians added.
The Egyptians said that after Meidan arrived in Cairo, it was obvious that Israel had no intention of compromising. In contrast, the officials said, Hamas and Jabari were willing to change their positions.
The officials said they had told Meidan he does not know Hamas and its leadership well enough to understand that an uncompromising position that contains an implicit threat would achieve the opposite result.
The Egyptians explained that it was now necessary to take one more step forward. "The parties can conclude the talks within hours, but at the same time, the talks can get stuck for many months," one said.
Noam Shalit, the captured soldier's father, said he knows of no new details or new proposal by Israel, including by Meidan. Shalit said he did not even know that Meidan had been speaking to Hamas.
"The last proposal I know about is the German one," he said, referring to reports in recent years of a deal brokered by former German mediator Gerhard Conrad in exchange for the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Shalit met last week with French officials and President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss his son's release in light of developments in Syria and the Palestinian Authority, and French influence in both these arenas.
Shalit also filed a suit in France to open a criminal investigation against the people responsible for his son's abduction. The family is waiting for the appointment of an investigative judge.
Meanwhile, the family and the Israeli organization working for Shalit's release are planning a number of events to mark the fifth anniversary of his abduction. Activities are planned for next week, especially on Saturday, to be held in and around the protest tent near the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem.
The officials said there were two key obstacles to clinching a deal. The first is the Israeli demand to expel more than half the 450 senior prisoners on the Hamas list handed to Israel years ago. According to the Egyptians, this figure is unreasonable. They say Hamas would be willing to see a few dozen freed prisoners expelled from the West Bank to Gaza and abroad, but certainly not the 230 prisoners Israel wants to exile.
The second obstacle involves disagreement over the release of the prisoners known as "VIPs" - prisoners who are leaders of Hamas and other organizations such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat, the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The officials warned that time was working against Shalit and said pressure must be applied to see a deal through. But Israeli officials have rejected such criticism and continue to view Egyptian mediation as essential.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for Shalit's speedy release at a joint press conference Friday in Berlin.
Merkel and especially Sarkozy - Shalit also holds French citizenship - have issued similar calls in the past, but this joint call seems to have greater significance. This is particularly so because it came during the two leaders' urgent meeting to discuss Greece's economic crisis.
A senior government official in Jerusalem said Sarkozy and Merkel had consulted with Netanyahu before releasing their statement to make sure they would not jeopardize the talks by placing the main responsibility for the delay in releasing Shalit on Hamas. On Thursday, Netanyahu encouraged them to go ahead with the statement, the official said.
Sarkozy has been very active in recent years vis-a-vis Egypt, Syria and Qatar about Shalit's relase. He reportedly got the idea for the joint statement with Merkel after meeting with Noam Shalit last week.
Sources close to the talks told Haaretz that Merkel and Sarkozy's call was very significant because it reflected a broad international effort to move the deal forward.
Sources in Merkel's office told Reuters Friday that the parties had received the draft of an agreement to release 1,000 prisoners for Shalit and that Hamas' military wing was delaying the swap. But it is unclear how much is new in that report, since according to earlier reports, the German proposal called for the release of that number - 450 senior prisoners and 550 other Palestinian prisoners.
The current deal, which Hamas rejected the last time the parties were near a decision, in July 2009, was brokered by Conrad.
But Egypt has recently ratcheted up its involvement in the talks after a long period in which is had been playing a secondary role only, according to foreign sources.
Egypt's renewed involvement in the Shalit swap is closely linked to former President Hosni Mubarak's ouster and closer ties between the new regime and Hamas. These were evident in the Cairo-brokered reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah, and in the opening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Egypt, which is seeking to reposition itself vis-a-vis the Arab world following Mubarak's downfall, would also reap prestige internationally if it played a key role in Shalit's release.
Jabari has been called to Cairo for consultations three times in an effort to soften his position. Israeli commentators have accused Jabari of intentionally sabotaging the talks. The Israelis say they have the impression that Jabari and his fellow military leader, Mohammed Deif, will not agree to a swap that is not perceived as deeply humiliating to Israel and total acquiescence to Hamas' demands.
Barak Ravid and Jack Khoury contributed to this article.
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Poor kid.
One man in exchange for thousands of criminals ...
i think this is underhanded mafia tactics and just low. doesn't hamas deserve an overthrow by artillery already?
Hamas-members (start with their leaders) must be assasinated, and their private homes and areas made parking area.
When these leaders feel the sting of personal responsibility and accountability there will be a deal. Shalit to all intent and purpose is dead. Hamas has made no sign of life shown. There is a line in the sand. Hamas took Shalit, Hamas and now Abbas can both wear teh consequences. until he is returned safe and alive or in a body bag
They are Hamas accomplices and no donation sshould be given to this opportunistic organisation.
That is why no Red Cross visitation, no nada.... all the pictures with "current events" were Photoshop jobs. Who are they trying to kid???
Israel has offered Hamas 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, and still it is not enough for Hamas. Nearly all the prisoners Israel Israel is offering were convicted of terrorist offences. Shalit was a conscripted Israeli corporal who was abducted inside Israel. I think that Israel has compromised as far as it can. If Israel released some of the most dangerous members of Hamas, almost certainly the consequence would be additional Israelis killed. Even with the compromise that Israel has already offered Hamas, the prize for abducting more Israelis is so high that further Israeli losses are likely to result from attempts to kidnap more Israelis when there are no prisoners left to release apart from those with blood on their hands.
as I repeat since 4 years the only way to free Shalit is to abduct most of Hamas leaders and relatives in Gaza and abroad without claim.
Let them know the hamas leadership will be targeted unless released immmidiatly!
Every "arrest" made by the IDF is a POW capture for some "violation" of occupation law. How many POWs has the IDF taken in the past week? Past month? Past year? The IDF claimed in court that releasing Hamas POWs would harm their hostage value. How many taken in the past 5 years? The IDF (per Y-Net & Haaretz) took POWs from Gaza recently and one from the Ukraine. When were their trials and Red Cross visits? Were they given public trials with juries of their peers?
That is why they are not brought to trial., Moreover, they ARE allowed Red Cross and family visits. Does Hamas treat Gilad Shalit like a POW? Let'sw hear a straight answer. ANother question: Are you an Islamist or merely an ideologically blinded extremist "liberal" fascist?
Please define a "liberal Fascist"
This is not the holy grail for Hamas, it is an angle for negotiation. Holding out for some ridiculous gain is not realistic, and it does not make Hamas look honorable or worthy of sympathy. Hamas should demand something within reason - perhaps release of ALL Palestinian prisons without charges and access to attornies.
This is a fraud post. Lincoln has never advocated murder of prisoners which is what this post advocates.
If so, they have no one with which to bargain. I predict Israel will eventually make Hamas disappear ! If Israel permits Hamas to survive there will be more hostages, more murders and more rockets. Israel lacks the leadership to get the job done at the present time.
i call on gilads parents to go after hamas and fatah representatives (including abbas) everywhere and ask them the gilad question (like goldwaser family did to hizbulla and ahmadinijad)!!!
ENOUGH GAMBLING WITH THE LIFE OF THAT LITTLE CREATURE gUIDON sHALIT..After all the life of that little boy is worth to release the 1000 palestinian in israeli prison. Come on Netahnyahou.\,go ahead and bring shalit to the warmth of his family and all Israel.
To deny Hamas any sort of victory. It is in Netanyahu's nature. Unfortunately, this means that Shalit will not survive. Netanyahus behavior is obvious.
The solution I'm proposing isn't something of course "kosher", but sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. If Yammam or the IDF conducted a military operation in the dark of night to fly into Gaza and abduct a high ranking official from Hamas, and hold HIM prisoner, then Israel could then turn the tables. The abducted Hamas official will be released back into Gaza upon the exchange for Shalit. If Hamas still says no, additional abductions will continue, if Hamas executes Shalit, so will the same for all Hamas members who were abducted. I'm sorry, sometimes the only way to deal with evil, is to speak their own language... Abduct some Hamas members, remind them that anything they do, IDF / Yammam / Shin Bet can do 10 times better...
The trouble with this is that Hamas couldn't care less if one of their officials is kidnapped .There will always be another murderer to replace the one who is kidnapped.They place a low value on life.
One soldier CAN'T be exchanged for tens or even hundrends of terrorists! This is wrong! Don't do it PLEASE !
Where is the proof that he is still alive???
because he was kidnapped by a bunch of murderous thugs.
hamas terrorists are not satisfied with an exchange of 1,000 palestinian terrorists for one israeli. "the israelis say they have the impression that jabari and his fellow military leader, mohammed deif, will not agree to a swap that is not perceived as deeply humiliating to israel and a total acquiescence to hamas' demands." hamas has not yet learned any lessons from the past. if shalit is not released, israel should take out hamas military leadership.
"if shalit is not released, israel should take out hamas military leadership. " What a innovating idea!
That's our motto where I come from!
It's just b.s. to have people accept the deaths and maiming of millions of soldiers in all the wars--all the dead millions left behind while the war profiteers and politicians and generals lead the patriotic cheers, make billions and laugh at all us fools.
Israel should make Bargouti and other Arab killers disappear. If that doesn't work, Israel should capture Haniyeh, Zahar, and Meshaal, until the time Shalit reappears. At that point, there can be a swap, Shalit for the Hamas leaders. If Shalit reappears dead, these four should equally die. Their welfare should be directly tied to Shalit's life and release. These roaches cannot be free while Shalit is kidnapped. If Israel follows this track, Shalit is home by July 1.
The EU could force Shalit's release by making his release a condition precedent to any more aid to Gaza & Palestinians. Its failure to do so make the EU (France and the UK) the de facto jailers of Shalit. The same applies to the USA.
of the absence of balance in its role. If Shalit disappears, it will simply be the act of those that kidnapped him. That Israel and Hamas can't agree represents their views of "value", risk an bargaining power. The Egyptian position is simply as immature and silly as that country, and much of the Arab world has become. A laughing stock.
No contact for five years. No visits by the Red Cross. No visits by Jimmy Carter, the Pals favorite spokesperson. No DNA samples to prove they have GS. No photos or recordings that are verifiable. Sad to say it , but in two more years Israel will declare him dead and his value as a bargaining chip will be Zero. Not that it is much now. When cast Lead II starts, make them pay for this atrocity!
Whatever that is supposed to mean, I think we see yet another new low on the scale of immorality and a new high in war crimes.
release the 1000s palestinian prisoners and shalit will be free!
The idea of releasing 100s of captured Palestinian terrorists in exchange for one captured IDF soldier is outrageous. Released, these terrorists ultimately will be responsible for many Israeli deaths. Not a good trade! Yes, one has to be mighty sorry for Shalit and his parents, but it is not a sensible or fair trade for Israel to contemplate. Too many IDF soldiers have died courageously defending Israel to make so much hoopla over Shalit. I understand how the parents feel about their son, but how will they feel when one of the released terrorists is responsible for the deaths of other Israelis. Israel should close the book on Shalit, relegating the issue to something dealt with at the tail end of a peace agreement and hoping that one day peace will be achieved. I posit that the continued discussion of Shalit is detrimental to the peace process. It simply encourages the Palestinians to believe that Israel is soft in the head; and not dealing on Shalit will produce a better deal for them in the end. Rug trader mentality!
I understand both sides of the issue. But unless you could put yourself in the parents' shoes please don't make such declarations unless you were willing to sacrifice your own son in a similar manner.
How can they ever be recognised by the UN
The world should be embarrassed that we have allowed this to go on for 5 years. FIVE YEARS. The Egyptians and the world blame Israel, which is ridiculous considering the steep amount Israel is already willing to pay. 1,000 to 1? In my book, that is a great sacrifice. The world should tell this criminal organization that enough is enough. Gaza should get NOTHING until Shalit is released.
In all fairness you can't release Shalit and leave thousands of Pals with no hope. Shalit's misery must give comfort to millions of Palestinians. Many of the Palestinians were just picked up like Jews in Germany. The whole country needs therapy
"In all fairness you can't release Shalit and leave thousands of Pals with no hope. Shalit's misery must give comfort to millions of Palestinians. " What an asinine thing to say. Are you that daft that you're missing that holding on to shalit is one of the reason and a prime example of why the Palestinians are "suffering"? It's lame tactics like this by Pal leaders and allowed by Pal/anti Israel apologists that makes sure their suffering will continue. Sure you can blame Israel for a lot of things but the largest problem is the Pal/Arab/Muslim leaders and useful idiots that perpetuate the wars, terrorism and fantasy of destroying Israel at whatever costs to the Palestinians. After all the best propaganda tools against Israel are suffering and dead Palestinians. Doesn't matter that their suffering and deaths are directly due to their own leadership. How so many be so blind and so obsessively hateful.
haggling over nothing while the life of a man hangs in the balance. release those prisoners from your jails and let that young man go free.
IT REALLY IS PATHETIC. One Israeli soldier held by Palistinians for all this time. The poor bloke is being held to ransom by a bunch of stubborn men who ought to know better
Hamas will never give up this young kid. He has become a toy for them. No one even knows if he is still even alive, or if he's alive, if he's even in one piece. Not 10,000 Hamas prisoners in Israel will free this young man. Israel needs to face the hard facts that this kid is as good as dead if they haven't killed him yet. Yes it's sad, but it's reality. Hamas giving up an Israeli alive is like a parasite deciding to no longer feed off it's host, it's never going to happen. The biggest blow you could deliver to Hamas about this young man is to consider him already dead, dedicate a memorial somewhere for him, and strip Hamas of their power to exploit this prisoner, when they have NO INTENTION of ever delivering him back alive. Never. I'm sorry for being so cold, but this is the truth. Every day that this young man is brought up in the media, Hamas dances around and parades about it, laughing at how anyone thinks that this boy would be seen again alive. Cut your losses, be realistic, and take care of Hamas in the manner that you've already been doing. They will never be anything more than what they are now, they have no real power outside Gaza. Pity them, don't negotiate with them, you don't negotiate with parasites...
It would be best to focus on a comprehensive peace deal, after which most POWs could be released.
Arrogance incarnate. Just wondering how do all those who rated positively this post would have reacted if Shalit was their son. And Ronen is typically hard headed, selfish and inhumane. I pitty Israelis, and especially the Shalit family, hoping that level headed people may strike a deal to release him
The key sentence is at the end of this article. Hamas only wants to humiliate Israel and have it perceived that Israel gave in to most if not all of it's demands. Israel should absolutely not release any "VIP's" , nor should it release a massive number like 1000, nor should it release a large number of high risk or highly dangerous prisoners. It's a tragic and sad reality for the family and I really feel for them, but there's a limit to the price Israel should pay, and if he ever turns up dead Hamas should pay a price the won't easily forget.
Israel should do the same with their prisoners, isolate them, no red cross visits, no papers, books, or tv. No visitors, no cell phones and only basic food. I agree that the chance of Gilad being alive is very very slim. Israel is being made a fool of.
You should concentrate on your welfare after the protesting you have undervent and no good end in sight s yet. You have many,many months if not decades before you will be able to survive in changing the status quo. if at all.. I suggest you mind your own affairs for it is NONE of your business,nor have the power to try or dictate... The one who should RELEASE Gilad is Hamas.IT FALLS ONLY ON ITS SHOULDERS alone and not on your say so..If anyone it shoild have been done during Mubarak's tenure.BUT HE ignored it for over 4+years.And you think you are more powerful than (HE was)NOT INDEED. Reminding you of a saying: "ONE SWALLOW DOES NOT A SUMMER MAKE" (am rferring to the negative as yet to be modernized and democratize). If ever...
The interest in the freedom of one Israeli soldier in comparison to the lack of interest not only in the rights of millions of Palestinians in their own land, but deaths (almost weekly) and imprisonments (almost daily) is something to see. Do Palestinians long for their missing family members and worry about them any less than the Shalit family does their son?
You silly fool...the palestinian situation is of their own making..after failing to eliminate Israel and the Jews from the face of the earth with the help of other arabs they turned to homicide bombings and linked up with hamas. How low can a people go?
Yes babe they can go lower. They can take the murderous scum that cut babies throats and call them a "political party".
You have to thank your arrabs friends for the refugee problem. Your arrab friends, mainly Egypt, Libanon, Syria, Jordan told your parents to leave, since Israel would loose the first war in -48. Then, your arrab friends created the refugee problem by removing you ANY rights in the contries you should flee to, by their commands, Also, all other refugees from the last two wars are assimilated into contries, but not the palestinians, why not? Because your arrab friends wanted to have you as an opportunity to continue to fight Israel. And THAT is the problem , not Israel.
They are part of a unity government now. Whatever Hamas does, ALL Palestinians are responsible for.
Netanyahu cited two objections to past Hamas demands: 1. The most dangerous released terrorists (45 out of 450) will not be allowed to return to the West Bank but should go to Gaza or abroad, and 2. Arch-murderers will not be released. The first objection is of a security nature, but the security professionals don't see the great danger, so it seems like an excuse. The second objection also appears to be phony. Who are those "arch-murderers"? It appears that at least some, if not all, are actually senior POLITICAL leaders, such as Barghouti (Fatah) and Natshe (a founder of Hamas). These people themselves did not kill anybody with their own hands, at most they enabled others, so I wouldn't refer to all of them as "arch-murderers"; it is misleading. (In any case, Barghouti was convicted -while refusing to present a defense- for enabling the murder of 5 Israelis. This is no arch-murderer.) Let us remember that Netanyahu himself released Sheikh Yassin when Mossad agents were caught in Jordan. That operation was done with Yahoo's approval so his own precious head was on the line. Some of the political leaders Israel holds are actually MODERATE. Barghouti and Natshe developed the "prisoners' document" (2006) which enabled a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, calling for Hamas and other organizations to join the PLO and for the Palestinians to accept a state in the 1967 borders. Perhaps this is what Netanyahu wants to prevent. He needs enemies, not moderate leaders, in order to delay and reject peace possibilities which would force giving up a part of Eretz Yisrael. Sorry Shalit family, you will probably have to wait until the next Israeli election to see your son. Note: I am not expressing here my own view of Hamas' demands, only my view of Netanyahu's insincerity.
I am on your side politically but you seem to think every talkback is an opportunity to write your own full length article. No one wants to wade through these disquisitions of yours. Please please keep it briefer. You could have made the same point you made above in one fourth the words.
You arrogant imbecile. So what you are saying is that the Himmler and Hitler were not arch murderers because they did not commit the horrendous slaughter of millions of people personally. Barghouti was responsible for at least the deaths of 15 Israelis but he is only a political prisoner because he did not commit them himself. Do you realise how stupid this sounds. Your Sheik Yassin argument is also specious because he was released in order to obtain the freedom of Mossad agents caught during an operation. Shalit was kidnapped from Israeli territory while guarding the border. If you think that it is Netanyahu who is the cause of the reluctance to release murderers of men, women and children what was Olmerts excuse. According to your conspiracy theories did he also need enemies. Do you think that any Israeli PM would agree to the everchanging Hamas demands. Who gives a damn about the prisoners document. These men are killers. They planned and sent suicide bombers into Israel who killed and maimed thousands of Israelis. Once again you attempt to conceal your Jew hatred under the disguise of a long meaningless diatribe. We who are regular readers of Haaretz know who and what you are Logios. Who cares about your biaased views..
Logios maybe you should of been here when your poor innocent POLOTICAL prisoners were sending suicide bombers into Israel to kill and maim thousands of Israeli civilians with belts that spewed ball bearings and nails dipped in insecticide. Perhaps you should get out of that comfy armcahir and do some research before you give us your biased lies. Quite interesting that these men were not arch murderers because they only planned the attacks but did not actually carry them out personally. Under this Logios logic Bin Laden was not a arch murderer either so why was he hunted down and killed. You see how really dumb your argument is. And if you think that Netanyahu is deliberately hindering any negotiatins with Hamas for political reasons you are totally ignorant of the people of Israel their values. All Israel is Shalit. We never forget him. Still the release of 450 arch murderers who conceived and planned the atrocities at the Park Hotel, Sbarros, Dolphinarium, Maxims, Jerusalem University and hundreds other will not be freed. And thats my view and the view of most of Israel.
too much to wade through, considering one wants to have time to read other people's comments
what u said is 100% correct....making simple arguements to block shalit deal due to esraeli politician's ego... even if israel does not realse prisoners, there won't be any shortage of palestenian fighters.... better to make the deal NOW.
We need to go further, give them more, to make a deal...even if its humiliating. The life of 1 Jew is worth more than a bit of humiliation for compromising a little with the Hamas. We will know where the men released will go and can monitor them closely. There is more than 1 way to protect Israel.
Isn't that racist?
If there is no Shalit deal, and Gilad Shalit "disappears" as Egypt has warned, then the Israeli government will get some criticism from a certain number of people for a while. If The Israeli government makes a deal for Shalit now and it equal to or worse than the deal they could have had five years ago, then the Israeli government will get a lot of criticism from a lot of people for a long time. The choice for the government is simple.
If Shalit is not released soon alive . Israel should declare war on Hamas.