Thursday, 24 December 2009 04:34 DAP-NEWS
(CAAI News Media)
GAZA CITY- A German mediator was on Wednesday to present Israel's proposal for the swap of Palestinian prisoners for a captured soldier to the Islamist Hamas movement, an official from the group said.
"The German mediator will meet a Hamas delegation in Gaza today to discuss the Shalit affair," the official told AFP, asking not to be named.
The German was expected to present Israel's latest offer for the proposed prisoner swap involving hundreds of Palesti- nian prisoners. The mediator has led indirect negotiations for the release of Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit, 23, who was captured by Hamas and other gunmen in a deadly cross-border raid from the Gaza Strip in June 2006.
Both sides have been tight-lipped about the discussions, but the Hamas-run government in Gaza said after a weekly meeting that freeing prisoners remained "at the top of its priorities."
"The government affirms that it will stand by the demands of the resistance factions until it can bring about the release of all prisoners from the occupation prisons," it said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Israeli security cabinet was to convene for its weekly meeting, with ministers set to discuss the latest developments in the Shalit affair, public radio said.
On Tuesday, Hamas blamed Israel for stalling efforts to swap hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for Shalit after the Jewish state reportedly expressed reservations over the Islamists' latest offer.
The two sides had appeared to be close to reaching a deal, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding five meetings in less than 48 hours with his top ministers before delivering an offer to the mediator.
"I am torn between the desire to free a hostage and the desire to protect Israeli citizens against future attacks," Netanyahu told family members of Israelis killed in deadly attacks concerned by the proposed prisoner exchange, which could include the release of several top Palestinian militants. Local media said that in its reply, Israel baulked at allowing some of the released Palestinians to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank, insisting that they instead go to Gaza or third countries. "Israel reported favourably to the general outline presented by the German mediator," the Ynet news website said. "Part of the reservations are the names of the heavyweight prisoners that Israel demands be deported."
According to Israeli and Palestinian officials, Israel would free 450 militants, including many involved in deadly attacks, in exchange for Shalit. An additional 500 prisoners would be released at a later stage. There are currently some 8,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Germany, which has a history of mediating successful prisoner exchanges between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, dispatched its mediator to join the talks earlier this year after months of unsuccessful Egyptian mediation.
Hamas and two smaller Palestinian militant groups captured Shalit in June 2006 when they tunneled into Israel out of Gaza and attacked an army post, killing two soldiers.
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