Posted on 09/13/2006 4:47:22 PM PDT by Alouette
Senior source says sign of life received from kidnapped soldier, discusses 'trust-building' steps to be taken by Israeli gov't, including release of Palestinian prisoners
Sign of life from Gilad Shalit – A senior source involved in efforts to secure the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit told Ynet Wednesday that a sign of life had been received and that a potential resolution of the matter was reaching final stages.
According to the source, in recent days, the process underwent significant progress and Israel received a sign of life. No such optimistic report was received from the side of Israeli negotiators.
The source reported that a number of trust-building steps by the Israeli government towards the Palestinians are anticipated soon.
He estimated that a number of female and underage prisoners will be released and that, after the release of Gilad Shalit, additional Palestinian prisoners will be released. The recent release order of Hamas minister and Parliament members was one such step, he said.
The source further stated that, in upcoming days, Palestinians will consolidate a list of prisoners whose release they demand within the confines of an agreement to release Shalit. The progress, he posits, derived from the desire of both sides to put the ugly affair behind them.
Barring mishaps, released soon
The involved parties, he said, hope that this affair will be solved towards the beginning of Ramadan, which is to start in a week and a half. The atmosphere is recent days has been very positive and, barring surprises, the source believes that Shalit will be released very soon.
Nonetheless, he added that "we have learned that last minute mishaps can disrupt things. However, I can say with certainty that the negotiations are at a very encouraging state, the most positive since the kidnapping took place (in June)." Only an unforeseen mishap, he added, would prevent the supposedly imminent release.
The Shalit family hopes that the upcoming month will indeed bring about the desired result. Tuesday, Gilad's father Noam Shalit appealed passionately to his son's kidnappers to agree to a prisoners' exchange, before Ramadan.
In a conversation with Arab reporters at the Ambassador Hotel in east Jerusalem, Shalit said the kidnapping affair was causing “hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians to suffer due to the military pressure, blockades and destruction the State of Israel was carrying out, on top of hundreds of wounded and dead.”
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Um, ok. Those damn Israelis just don't seem very trustworthy. Not like those poor, opressed Palestinians. /sarc
No matter HOW he is released, Jesse Jackass will take the credit !
I pray that boy will be released, but in exchange for vermin prisoners who have committed unspeakable acts, my heart is heavy.
Ditto.
If Israel meets any of the demands, they have lost. The Palis will just grab more of them to get more concession in an endless cycle.
Israel lost when they missed Nasrallah.
I agree.
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That's a form of negotiation :-)
That would be my approach. They won't hire us, but I think they are making a mistake.
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