Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., June 25, 2008 Sivan 22, 5768 | | Israel Time: 15:52 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Noam Shalit at a protest marking two years since his son's abduction, on Tuesday. (Uriah Tadmor / Jini) Last update - 08:42 25/06/2008 Negotiator heading back to Cairo for indirect talks on Shalit By Avi Issacharoff, Amos Harel, Yossi Melman, Jonathan Lis and Haaretz Service Tags: Noam Shalit, Gilad Shalit  Ofer Dekel, the government's chief coordinator for prisoner deals, departs for Cairo Thursday to renew indirect talks with Hamas over a swap for abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. Israel believes Egyptian pressure may cause Hamas to drop its demands that Israel release terrorists convicted of carrying out major attacks against Israelis in return for freeing Shalit. These demands have so far thwarted the deal. Egypt had pledged to take an active part in talks with Hamas, if Israel agreed to a truce that did not include a prisoner swap for Shalit. Advertisement Shalit was abducted by militants two years ago in a cross-border raid. In Cairo, Dekel is set to meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation will arrive in the Egyptian capital to hold talks with Israel via Egyptian diplomatic channels. Both Israel and Hamas have agreed that some 450 Palestinian prisoners will be included in the swap for Shalit. Israel will first release the prisoners, after which Shalit will return to Israel via Egypt. Israel has rejected Hamas demands that it release 70 prisoners who are Israeli Arabs or residents of East Jerusalem. In addition, Israel is reluctant to release terrorists involved in bombings that killed dozens and wounded hundreds of civilians in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Netanya. Hamas also insisted on the release of Lebanese citizen Samir Kuntar, who killed four people in a Nahariya terror attack, but Israel said Kuntar is part of a separate deal with Hezbollah, which abducted IDF troops Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. So far, only 71 prisoners on Hamas' list have been approved by Israel. Meanwhile, Hamas denied claims that Egypt had agreed to open the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Sinai only if a deal is reached for Shalit's release. "Shalit will not see the light of day if our prisoners don't," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. As talks are set to begin in Cairo, hundreds of protesters and Shalit's family members gathered outside the Jerusalem residence of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, calling on him to expedite talks ensuring the release of the abducted soldier. His father, Noam Shalit, told the crowd that the time has come to end empty declarations: "Gilad is being held alone, in a nightmare of continuing darkness, cut off from all contact with the outside world. The time has come for decisiveness and subversion. You [the government] sent him there, and it is your obligation to bring him back." Addressing Olmert directly, Shalit said: "You, Mr. Prime Minister, had two full years for negotiating, for bargaining, for examing the options, even to talk to Hamas. With indescribable clumsiness, you have not managed to work for my son's release. Decision time has come - it's now or never." Noam Shalit also rebuked former IDF chief Moshe Ya'alon, who earlier this week said prisoner swaps must not be signed at all costs. "Nobody has the moral right to determine the fate of a captive soldier, not politicians, not an enterpriser, and not a retired army chief," Shalit said. "He should try putting himself in my place." The Shalit family's lawyer on Tuesday wrote a letter of appeal to Attorney General Menechem Mazuz and to government ministers, calling on the cabinet to meet within 48 hours, before the border crossings to the Gaza Strip are reopened as part of a cease-fire deal. The appeal came after the High Court of Justice on Monday rejected the family's petition against Olmert, the political security cabinet, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, demanding clarification on why the Gaza truce was sealed without a deal on Gilad's release. The Shalit family had asked the court to order the government not to implement the cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza before their son's release. According to the Shalits, cabinet members were misled into thinking the agreement on Gaza linked Gilad's release to the opening of the Gaza border crossings. Related articles: VIDEO: Two years after his kidnap, U.S. kids read Gilad Shalit's tale of co-existence Egypt: Gaza crossing will remain shut until Shalit deal reached Bookmark to del.icio.us   Gilad's tale VIDEO: U.S. kids read abducted soldier's story of co-existence. Leaving Torah behind Study finds religion is not very important to American Jews.   1.   an envelop with cash may help 00:09  |  Vogel 25/06/08   2.   Do not trust Egypt, their Rafah border has been open for 3 years 00:33  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/06/08   3.   Noam Shalit is right. Everyone needs to help him. 04:42  |  Fortuna Benmayor 25/06/08   4.   there`s a real campaign going on 07:27  |  tsipora 25/06/08   5.   Noam Shalit fails to use the "w" word to describe Olmert 09:41  |  Clickfool 25/06/08   6.   AMAZING how Egypt cannot find the tunnels ending right in Rafah 09:45  |  PETER SM 25/06/08   7.   Why do you expect Egypt to toady up to Israel, Peter? 13:23  |  Clickfool 25/06/08

Read & React Barak orders Gaza crossings sealed in response to Qassams Responses: 70 Rosner's Guest: Israel was wrong on Hezbollah war, wrong on Gaza restraint Responses: 17 Attempted coup splits Hamas military wing in two Responses: 41 Cabinet set to vote on Hezbollah deal, but PM stance uncertain Responses: 5 Yossi Melman: Israel's spymasters are bullying the families of abducted soldiers Responses: 8 Rosner's Domain Guest: Not going to war in Gaza - erroneous choice Religion is not very important to American Jews Al Hura not working? Tell me something I don't know (WTR) Poll: exchange deal with Hezbollah, good or bad? Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? More Headlines 15:22 Top Saudi official: Ball in Israel's court if it wants peace with us 14:27 Jihad threatens to continue rocket attacks, despite truce 14:55 Seal swap deal or price will rise, says Hezbollah-linked daily 11:23 Olmert and Barak strike deal to salvage coalition 14:24 'Attack on Paris Jewish teen may be linked to ongoing gang feud' 13:55 Ben Gurion Airport stages mass aviation disaster drill 15:18 IDF Chief: Don't halt process declare Hezbollah abductees as fallen 15:36 Egypt finds seven smuggling tunnels, arms cache near Gaza border 05:54 Who will defend ultra-Orthodox women's labor rights? 08:42 Negotiator heading back to Cairo for indirect talks on Shalit 08:46 Attempted coup splits Hamas military wing in two 09:11 Baby switch cost Jerusalem hospital NIS 2 million Previous Editions Select Day 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Free Hebrew Private Lesson www.iStudyHebrew.com Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved