Als dit waar is, is het slecht nieuws. Het lijkt erop dat Israel steeds verder opschuift om aan Hamas' eisen tegemoet te komen, terwijl Hamas haar eisen steeds verder aanscherpt. Misschien kan Israel gelijk alle Hamas gevangenen vrijlaten, dan hoeft er niet nog een tweede soldaat te worden ontvoerd voor de andere helft. Als Israel zulke gigantische aantallen vrijlaat, waarvan honderden lange straffen uitzitten voor zware zaken als dodelijke aanslagen, dan wordt het ontvoeren van soldaten wel heel erg aantrekkelijk. En men geeft bovendien het signaal af dat het gevangen houden van die mensen blijkbaar toch niet zo heel erg nodig is voor de veiligheid, anders zou Israel ze immers niet vrijlaten? Helaas zijn na eerdere gevangenendeals tientallen gevangenen weer in het 'gewapende verzet' gegaan en sommige hebben daadwerkelijk nieuwe dodelijke aanslagen gepleegd. Het lijkt er dan ook op dat de regering niet tegen de druk van de familie en andere sympathisanten bestand is en zij hoopt wellicht met een gevangenendeal tenminste nog een wapenfeit te kunnen realiseren voor haar aftreden in februari. De volgende regering, waarschijnlijk onder leiding van Likoed, mag de bovengenoemde langere termijn problemen oplossen.
RP
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Report: Israel willing to release more prisoners for Shalit
By Amos Harel, Barak Ravid and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents Last
update - 01:10 25/11/2008
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1040607.html
update - 01:10 25/11/2008
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1040607.html
Israel has recently agreed to release 220 of the 350 prisoners convicted of serious crimes whose freedom Hamas is demanding in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
This represents a significant moderation of Israel's position, as it had previously agreed to release only 150 of these prisoners. Nevertheless, the gap between the parties remains wide.
Altogether, Hamas is demanding the release of 1,400 prisoners in exchange for Shalit, of which it insists that about 450 be people convicted of serious crimes. Of these, it has specified 350 by name; the rest would be at Israel's discretion.
Initially, Israel had refused to release more than 450 prisoners in total, but it has now apparently acceded to Hamas' demand on the overall number. However, it is still arguing with the Islamic organization over which prisoners will be released.
Its latest offer, containing 220 of the names Hamas requested, was sent to the organization only recently and a response is expected soon, possibly even in the next few days. This offer was prepared by a special ministerial committee on the issue, which has met repeatedly in recent months to revise the rules governing prisoner releases in order to enable more people on Hamas' list to be freed.
On Tuesday, another demonstration for Shalit's release is due to take place opposite the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. The demonstrators will urge Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to obtain the soldier's return before leaving office in February. Organizers expect thousands of people to attend. Shalit's father, Noam, is scheduled to address the gathering.
This represents a significant moderation of Israel's position, as it had previously agreed to release only 150 of these prisoners. Nevertheless, the gap between the parties remains wide.
Altogether, Hamas is demanding the release of 1,400 prisoners in exchange for Shalit, of which it insists that about 450 be people convicted of serious crimes. Of these, it has specified 350 by name; the rest would be at Israel's discretion.
Initially, Israel had refused to release more than 450 prisoners in total, but it has now apparently acceded to Hamas' demand on the overall number. However, it is still arguing with the Islamic organization over which prisoners will be released.
Its latest offer, containing 220 of the names Hamas requested, was sent to the organization only recently and a response is expected soon, possibly even in the next few days. This offer was prepared by a special ministerial committee on the issue, which has met repeatedly in recent months to revise the rules governing prisoner releases in order to enable more people on Hamas' list to be freed.
On Tuesday, another demonstration for Shalit's release is due to take place opposite the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. The demonstrators will urge Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to obtain the soldier's return before leaving office in February. Organizers expect thousands of people to attend. Shalit's father, Noam, is scheduled to address the gathering.
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