The sources said Israel has agreed to the lion's share of Hamas demands
for the release of Shalit. They said this included the release of more than
1,000 Palestinian prisoners as well as those convicted of murder.
In May 2009, the sources said, Israel relayed a proposal for the release
of Palestinian convicted murderers. But Israel stipulated that those
Palestinians would resettle outside of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Hamas, pressed by Egypt, had appeared prepared to accept the Israeli
proposal, the sources said. But in late June Iranian-backed officials in
Hamas opposed the deal. In 2006, Hamas, aided by the Popular Resistance
Committees and the Army of Islamic, led the operation that resulted in the
capture of Shalit, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Hamas is running away from a deal [on Shalit]," the Israeli
mass-circulation daily Yediot Aharonot said.
As late of mid-June, Western diplomatic sources predicted the imminent
prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel. Over the last few days, some of
those sources acknowledged a snag in the negotiations.
Hamas has called for the release of 450 of its members. They included
the planners of major suicide strikes in Israel since 1993. The sources said
Israel has agreed to the release of 325 Hamas inmates.
Yediot, regarded as one of the most authoritative newspapers on military
issues, asserted that Hamas was loathe to allow Shalit free. The newspaper
said Hamas regards Shalit as an insurance policy against Israeli
assassination of the Islamic leaders.
"Gilad Shalit is their main asset today, perhaps the only one Hamas
has," Yediot said. "He is what transforms them from a gang of terrorists
into a respected organization with whom world politicians meet. A reasonable
person does not give up such an asset."
The sources said Israel has made a series of goodwill gestures to
promote negotiations for the release of Shalit. They cited the release of
Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik, a Hamas leader in the
West Bank, and travel by Hamas leaders from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. Dweik
was released in June 2009 after being held by Israel for three years.
In February 2009, Israel rejected Hamas's demands for the release of
Shalit. The sources said the government determined that the release of
hundreds of Hamas military commanders would result in the establishment of
an operational presence in the West Bank.
For its part, the Hamas leadership in Syria has not ruled out a prisoner
exchange with Israel. Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Masha'al said his
movement would not allow Israel to change Islamic demands.
"We are still willing to carry out the [Shalit] exchange deal," Masha'al
said. "[Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu's only option for getting
Shalit back is through a serious exchange deal, but if he adopts inflexible
[positions] he will fail just like his predecessor, Olmert."
In March 2009, Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari was summoned to
Egyptian intelligence headquarters to discuss Shalit. The sources said
Jabari provided signs of life from Shalit, information that was relayed to
an Israeli delegation nearby.
The sources said Egypt has been critical of the Israeli negotiations
methods. They said Egyptian intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Omar Suleiman
warned that Israeli concessions to Hamas would guarantee that the Islamic
regime ups its price for the release of Shalit.
The Israeli negotiations have been marred by disagreement between the
military and Israel Security Agency. At one point, the sources said ISA
ordered its staffers not to cooperate with the military amid a dispute over
responsibility for the abduction and the failure to find Shalit.
In February 2009, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected
recommendations by the military and ISA to release Hamas convicted murderers
for Shalit. The sources said Defense Minister Ehud Barak, ISA director Yuval
Diskin and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi urged Olmert to conclude a
deal with Hamas.
The sources said the Palestinian Authority has quietly warned Israel
against meeting Hamas demands. The PA has asserted that a Hamas squad sought
to assassinate PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on July 1. The PA said
five Hamas operatives were arrested in connection with the plot.
