Hamas bid to trade Israeli hostage

The Austrian ^ | June 27, 2006 June 27, 2006 | Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent

[Txsleuth]

Yeah, sure...I would stand down, until Col Shalit is safe that is.

Then, not so much.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the BBC:

Demands set for captured Israeli

**********************

Militant groups in Gaza have demanded the release of Palestinian children and women from Israeli jails before giving information about a missing soldier.

[meanie monster]

daym,,,,they sound skeerd and desperate to me....

[cpdiii]

While the chemical weapons capability of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is yet to be verified, the threat sharply heightens tensions

Perhaps these came from Saddam?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Demands set for captured Israeli

Militant groups in Gaza have demanded the release of Palestinian children and women from Israeli jails before giving information about a missing soldier.

It is the first such statement since the suspected abduction of Israeli tank gunner Gilad Shalit during clashes on the Gaza border on Sunday morning.

The signatories included the armed wing of the governing party Hamas.

Israel threatened extensive military action to recover the soldier. It has rejected the militants' "blackmail".

Cpl Shalit was believed to have been taken captive by militants who tunnelled out of Gaza to attack the army post at Kerem Shalom.

Two Israeli troops and two militants were killed during the raid.

Denied knowledge

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has put the army on standby for extensive military action against Palestinian militants and Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have assembled on the Gaza border.

Hamas political leaders have denied any knowledge of the soldier's whereabouts - but they have called for him to be well treated.

The faxed statement was signed by the Popular Resistance Committees umbrella group, Hamas's Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and the previously unknown Army of Islam.

It said: "The Occupation [Israel] will not get any information about its missing soldier until it commits to the following:

"First, the immediate release of all women in prison. Second, the immediate release of all children in prison younger than 18."

Israel is believed to have incarcerated about 100 women and 300 under-18s among the 9,000 Palestinian prisoners it is holding in its jails.

Intense diplomatic efforts have been under way since the soldier's disappearance, including mediation by an Egyptian delegation in the Gaza Strip.

This was noted by the kidnappers themselves, who said their demands were "in response to various mediation efforts and other intervention".

The statement did not confirm whether the three groups were holding Cpl Shalit captive themselves.

Israeli officials have held Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, responsible for the 19-year-old Israeli's safety.

"Israel will not adhere to any kind of blackmail or extortion," said cabinet minister Isaac Herzog. "It's totally unacceptable to us this style of negotiations."

Correspondents say the crisis could spoil efforts to bind Hamas into a plan implicitly recognising Israel, and may expose divisions between hardline and more pragmatic Hamas elements.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5118278.stm

Published: 2006/06/26 16:03:10 GMT

© BBC MMVI

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[Meadow Muffin]

FART IN A CAN is NOT a chemical weapon.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Doubt the savages could have made chemical weapons....likely via Syria .

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

It's strong enough to be considered a chemical weapon???

[contemplator]

They promise to release the hostage in return for the Israeli's promising not to come in and get him. Sheesh - Talk about spin. Would someone please explain to me how this can be characterized as a "bargaining chip" ?

[jrg]

FART IN A CAN is NOT a chemical weapon

I may have to disagree with you on that one. If I feed my son Funyuns and Burger King Onion Rings, he can kill anything within a 30 foot radius.

[Txsleuth]

Well...that is a non-starter.

[Meadow Muffin]

Sounds more like a cow chip.....they are going to invade and tear them a new rectum receiver......unfortunately for the captured crew man he may already be dead.

[meanie monster]

they are going to invade and tear them a new rectum receiver..


lmao

[Walkingfeather]

That means most likely he is dead. And israel should react accordingly.

[OB1kNOb]

Thanks for the ping and keeping me updated. It's appreciated.

[b4its2late]

the militant wing of the deposed Fatah party yesterday warned it would use chemical weapons if the threatened invasion was launched.

If they do have chemical weapons, I can guess a couple of place where they obtained them from.

[cpdiii]

The bad guys know Israel will not bargain for release.
The action will undoubtedly cause massive retaliation by Israel if he is killed or not released. What is the objective of the terrorist that did this? It seems counterproductive to me.

[El Gato]

Hamas political leaders have denied any knowledge of the soldier's whereabouts - but they have called for him to be well treated.

If they did not call for his immediate release, they are complicit and should all be rounded up and shot. Then the same should be done to the Fatah leaders because of their threats. Let the Palestinian chicken flop around headless for awhile.