Hamas to Raise Demands if "Israel" Tries to Change Terms
Source: Al-Manar TV, 20-9-2008
Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, on Friday accused "Israel" of reneging on offers made during the negotiations for the return of captured "Israeli" occupation soldier Gilad Shalit.
In an interview with the Palestinian Ramatan News Agency, Al-Zahar said that "Israel" had offered to free 450 Palestinian detainees once Shalit was returned to "Israel", and then release an additional 550 Palestinians approximately two months later.
Al-Zahar said that "Israel" is now offering to release only 450 detainees in exchange for Shalit, and warned "Israel" that back-pedaling could lead to the negotiations being scrapped altogether. Zahar insisted that if "Israel" continued what he called its policy of withdrawing from arrangements, Hamas would cancel all of the arrangements made and would demand a new number as well as a new list of detainees' names the group wished to release.
Another senior Hamas official was also quoted on Friday as saying the group will not renew negotiations for Shalit's release unless "Israel" meets its preconditions, the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
According to the report, Hamas laid out three conditions for the renewal of negotiations with "Israel": release of all Palestinian detainees whose names appear on the list that had been given to "Israel" via Egyptian mediation; implementation of all "Israeli" commitments in the framework of the ceasefire agreement, including the reopening of Gaza Strip crossings for the passage of goods; the opening of the Rafah crossing.
The newspaper further states that Ofer Dekel, "Israel's" chief negotiator for securing the release of Shalit, has transferred an Egyptian-brokered list to Hamas of the 450 Palestinian detainees that "Israel" would be willing to release in exchange for Shalit.
However, the Hamas official stated his organization's insistence on the original list of names, which includes detainees serving lengthy prison terms, members of the Hamas parliament, as well as women and children.
Hamas also demands the release of Palestinian detainees held in Egypt, according to the report. "It doesn't make any sense that Egypt will moderate our prisoner exchange talks with "Israel" while it imprisons our members," the official said.
Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, on Friday accused "Israel" of reneging on offers made during the negotiations for the return of captured "Israeli" occupation soldier Gilad Shalit.
In an interview with the Palestinian Ramatan News Agency, Al-Zahar said that "Israel" had offered to free 450 Palestinian detainees once Shalit was returned to "Israel", and then release an additional 550 Palestinians approximately two months later.
Al-Zahar said that "Israel" is now offering to release only 450 detainees in exchange for Shalit, and warned "Israel" that back-pedaling could lead to the negotiations being scrapped altogether. Zahar insisted that if "Israel" continued what he called its policy of withdrawing from arrangements, Hamas would cancel all of the arrangements made and would demand a new number as well as a new list of detainees' names the group wished to release.
Another senior Hamas official was also quoted on Friday as saying the group will not renew negotiations for Shalit's release unless "Israel" meets its preconditions, the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
According to the report, Hamas laid out three conditions for the renewal of negotiations with "Israel": release of all Palestinian detainees whose names appear on the list that had been given to "Israel" via Egyptian mediation; implementation of all "Israeli" commitments in the framework of the ceasefire agreement, including the reopening of Gaza Strip crossings for the passage of goods; the opening of the Rafah crossing.
The newspaper further states that Ofer Dekel, "Israel's" chief negotiator for securing the release of Shalit, has transferred an Egyptian-brokered list to Hamas of the 450 Palestinian detainees that "Israel" would be willing to release in exchange for Shalit.
However, the Hamas official stated his organization's insistence on the original list of names, which includes detainees serving lengthy prison terms, members of the Hamas parliament, as well as women and children.
Hamas also demands the release of Palestinian detainees held in Egypt, according to the report. "It doesn't make any sense that Egypt will moderate our prisoner exchange talks with "Israel" while it imprisons our members," the official said.
- Related News
