Haniyeh advisor says prisoner deal for Shalit is close

A senior advisor to Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Saturday that significant progress had been made with Israel to release captured soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit, Army Radio reported.

Ahmed Youssef said that Israel had agreed to release Palestinian prisoners, including a number of "central Hamas activists and other Arab prisoners."

Ben-Eliezer: Gaza won't be retaken On Friday, PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said Friday that the possibility of kidnapping additional IDF soldiers had not been ruled out by Hamas as a tactic for forcing the release of Palestinian security prisoners currently incarcerated in Israel.

Speaking at a Hamas rally in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, Zahar said he demanded that Israel release prisoners in exchange for the release of Shalit.

Israel is a "cancer" in the Middle East, Zahar continued, and added that Hamas would never recognize its existence.

"Israel is a growth on our land," he said. "It has no historical, religious, or cultural justification, and we will never establish relations with this 'cancer.' We will never recognize Israel - this is a final, non-negotiable decision," Zahar declared.

Zahar's comments echoed those made by Hamas leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal a week ago, who reiterated that Hamas would never recognize Israel, but indicated that his organization would consider swapping Shalit in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/777498.html
Last update - 14:15 21/10/2006

Haniyeh aid: Israel to release Hamas operatives

By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies

Ahmed Youssef, senior political adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, said Saturday that Israel agreed to release Palestinian prisoners, including top Hamas operatives, in exchange for the release of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, and that this is a significant step towards the resolution of the crisis.

Youssef also said that after Id al-Fitr Qatar will present an updated version of its initiative to broker a cease-fire between Fatah and Hamas.

According to Youssef, Hamas will accept the new initiative after the clause calling for the acceptance of a two-state solution is changed.

Youssef added that Hamas and Fatah representatives might meet in Cairo over the coming weekend.

Security men block roads leading to President Mahmoud Abbas
Members of the Palestinian security forces fired in the air in Gaza City's main shopping district and burned tires near President Mahmoud Abbas' home Saturday to press demands for payment of salaries on the eve of a major Muslim holiday.

Plumes of smoke wafted from the area of Abbas' home in Gaza City. Protesters also stopped cars from entering the area. The shots in downtown Gaza, packed with pre-holiday shoppers, scattered panicked crowds.

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Israel would be stupid to make a prisoner exchange with these rabid animals. It only encourages more kidnappings and adds to the list of people they have to fight. Those released go back on the front lines and they have to fight them again. Better IMO to not take prisoners.

Given the statements made in that story, the only logical thing for the Israelis to do is re-invade the Palestinian-controlled areas and push the entire population thereof, which voted HAMAS into power, over the nearest border.

And to think there are "governments" and "statesmen" who opine that such kidnappings are "a legitimate tool of resistance to oppression."

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