Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has scrapped a scheduled special Monday Cabinet session that was slated to hear the latest developments on negotiations for the return of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
The Prime Minister’s office did not explain why the Cabinet will not meet, but the two government negotiators have changed their plans and are remaining in Cairo after day-long Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas.
The Prime Minister has authorized negotiator Ofer Dekel and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Yuval Diskin to offer the release of hundreds of Hamas murderers and other terrorists in exchange for Shalit, who is presumed to be physically in good health.
One of the reported sticking points is the number of terrorists who would be expelled to areas outside of Israel, probably Syria and Lebanon.
The government late Saturday night gave Hamas 24 hours to decide whether to accept the latest government offer, but the deadline passed with the talks continuing.
One sign of a possible decision, one way or the other, was the announcement of direct Egyptian communication, possibly in person, with Khaled Mashaal, the overall director of the Hamas terrorist organization, who is based in Damascus. However, his main interest may be the Egyptian-sponsored unity talks between Hamas and Fatah.
Following an Israeli media campaign promoting efforts by dovish academics and the Shalit family to bring about the soldier’s release “at any price,” protests against the proposed deal are mounting.
The dovish Hebrew language newspaper Haaretz published an article on Sunday by correspondent Gidon Levy, who wrote, “Only one banner needs to be raised reading ‘release 1,000 terrorists.’ That banner should not be put up outside the Prime Minister's Residence but outside the Hadarim Prison where Palestinian prisoners are held. How many of the thousands of activists who support Shalit's release are willing to do that?”
Levy added, “Just listen to all those who worry about Shalit's fate; you'll never hear them say a word about the price that needs to be paid for his release. It bears repeating: If you want Shalit to return then shout out for the release of Palestinian prisoners.”