Hopes are fresh for imminent Shalit deal

Progress has been made on a deal for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, or at least that is the impression of a number of European and Arab sources who are knowledgeable about the negotiations.

Arabic-language news network Alhurra, based in the U.S., reported on Wednesday that a deal between Hamas and Israel for Shalit's release is close to completion and could get underway next Friday, November 27 - the eve of Id al-Adha, the Muslim feast of the sacrifice.

According to the uncorroborated report, Shalit will be released in exchange for "hundreds of prisoners."

Alhurra reported that Shalit would be released to Egypt and then continue to Israel.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who is visiting Israel, said at a press conference in Jerusalem that he is aware of progress in the negotiations.

Earlier he met with Noam Shalit, Gilad's father, who commented Wednesday on the latest reports by saying "It's not over until it's over." Noam Shalit said he had received no information and refused to comment on the reports on progress in the negotiations. The head of the public campaign to free Shalit also said the family and supporters were getting their information from the media, but had no illusions about the situation.

Kouchner said the German mediation in the deal was a positive step and the French government did not want to interfere. As to his meeting with Noam Shalit, Kouchner said there was more hope now than in the past.

The most significant statement on the issue in the past few days came on Tuesday from Osama Mazini, the Hamas leader in charge of the Shalit negotiations. Mazini told Palestinian news agency Maan that the German mediator, whose name has not been released for publication, had succeeded in overcoming obstacles in the negotiations but that the talks were not yet over and there is still disagreement over Israel's refusal to release Israeli Arab prisoners. Mazini refused to provide more details, saying such information would harm the talks and that previous media reports have interfered with progress in reaching a deal.

Mounir Mansour, the chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Committee, who is active among the families of Israeli Arab prisoners, said yesterday they have received hints of progress in a deal that would free Shalit but have no concrete information.

"We are receiving hints of significant progress in negotiations, although we are always careful with these things because changes can always occur at the last minute," Mansour said, adding that the families are optimistic about celebrating a "double holiday." He said he hopes the hints signal a breakthrough in the talks, and added that both Israel and Hamas have taken seriously the issue of reducing sentences for Israeli Arab prisoners. There are reports that so-called security prisoners have agreed that many of their number will be deported, as that is better than remaining behind bars.

The German mediator has visited the region a number of times recently, and Israel's chief negotiator on the Shalit deal, Hagai Hadas, recently visited Cairo.

	Abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.
	Photo by: (Archive)