Hamas: Demonstrations Won’t Help Free Gilad Shalit
Source: Al-Manar TV, 21-10-2008
A senior Hamas official said on Sunday that demonstrations would not help free Gilad Shalit, as thousands of ‘Israelis' rallied near Gaza to protest the captured ‘Israeli' soldier's ongoing captivity.
"The Shalit family and the captured soldier's friends need to understand that the ‘Israeli' government is the single reason why the prisoner exchange is deadlocked," ‘Israeli' Army Radio quoted Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri as saying.
About 3,000 people rallied on Sunday at Kerem Shalom, near the ‘Israeli' occupation army post where Shalit was captured by Gaza resistance fighters in a June 2006. The Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers have demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees held in ‘Israeli' jails in exchange for Shalit's return.
According to the Palestinian news agency Ma'an, Zuhri also said: "The Shalit case is dependent on prisoners swap... He will never be released if the ‘Israeli' occupation does not release Palestinian prisoners whom Hamas wants free, whatever the consequence might be."
Earlier Sunday, ‘Israeli' Minister Ami Ayalon (Labor) said demonstrations and rallies on behalf of Shalit may raise the price his captors demand, but by the same token they could weaken Hamas' stance.
Ayalon's comments came in response to remarks made earlier by War Minister and Labor Chairman Ehud Barak who said that protests calling for Shalit's release could spur Hamas to raise the price ‘Israel' would have to pay in a deal for his release.
Speaking at the Kerem Shalom protest, Ayalon said: "I am here, and that is what I think about Barak's remark."
Later in the day Barak spoke in order to clarify his comments, adding: "Not a day goes by when I'm not occupied with Gilad's release, I lose sleep over this."
Ayalon described the debate surrounding whether or not to hold rallies in support of Shalit "hallucinatory" and described Barak's call on the public not to attend Sunday's rally a "simplistic interpretation of the democratic dialogue between public servants and those who elected them."
Noam Shalit, Gilad's father, also addressed Barak's comments, telling ‘Israeli' daily Haaretz that "it appears that the public doesn't believe its elected officials. Time will tell whether the rally did any good, but sitting quietly won't advance a thing."
Earlier Sunday, Barak defended his call on the public not to attend the rally, telling Army Radio "I understand the protests, but we must find a way not to give the other side a signal that may increase the price, rather than lower it."
The concessions ‘Israel' would have to pay were growing ever higher amid the accelerating negotiations, Barak said. "We will have to make difficult and painful decisions over the list of murderers we will have to release," he told Army Radio.
Shalit, the father, said in response to Barak's statements that ‘Israel' could have ended the affair at a lower price than the captors are currently demanding as early as two years ago.
"It seems the public has no faith in politicians," Shalit told Army Radio. "The public supports, initiates and participates in activities to free Gilad and does not believe the declarations that everything is being done for his release."
A senior Hamas official said on Sunday that demonstrations would not help free Gilad Shalit, as thousands of ‘Israelis' rallied near Gaza to protest the captured ‘Israeli' soldier's ongoing captivity.
"The Shalit family and the captured soldier's friends need to understand that the ‘Israeli' government is the single reason why the prisoner exchange is deadlocked," ‘Israeli' Army Radio quoted Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri as saying.
About 3,000 people rallied on Sunday at Kerem Shalom, near the ‘Israeli' occupation army post where Shalit was captured by Gaza resistance fighters in a June 2006. The Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers have demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees held in ‘Israeli' jails in exchange for Shalit's return.
According to the Palestinian news agency Ma'an, Zuhri also said: "The Shalit case is dependent on prisoners swap... He will never be released if the ‘Israeli' occupation does not release Palestinian prisoners whom Hamas wants free, whatever the consequence might be."
Earlier Sunday, ‘Israeli' Minister Ami Ayalon (Labor) said demonstrations and rallies on behalf of Shalit may raise the price his captors demand, but by the same token they could weaken Hamas' stance.
Ayalon's comments came in response to remarks made earlier by War Minister and Labor Chairman Ehud Barak who said that protests calling for Shalit's release could spur Hamas to raise the price ‘Israel' would have to pay in a deal for his release.
Speaking at the Kerem Shalom protest, Ayalon said: "I am here, and that is what I think about Barak's remark."
Later in the day Barak spoke in order to clarify his comments, adding: "Not a day goes by when I'm not occupied with Gilad's release, I lose sleep over this."
Ayalon described the debate surrounding whether or not to hold rallies in support of Shalit "hallucinatory" and described Barak's call on the public not to attend Sunday's rally a "simplistic interpretation of the democratic dialogue between public servants and those who elected them."
Noam Shalit, Gilad's father, also addressed Barak's comments, telling ‘Israeli' daily Haaretz that "it appears that the public doesn't believe its elected officials. Time will tell whether the rally did any good, but sitting quietly won't advance a thing."
Earlier Sunday, Barak defended his call on the public not to attend the rally, telling Army Radio "I understand the protests, but we must find a way not to give the other side a signal that may increase the price, rather than lower it."
The concessions ‘Israel' would have to pay were growing ever higher amid the accelerating negotiations, Barak said. "We will have to make difficult and painful decisions over the list of murderers we will have to release," he told Army Radio.
Shalit, the father, said in response to Barak's statements that ‘Israel' could have ended the affair at a lower price than the captors are currently demanding as early as two years ago.
"It seems the public has no faith in politicians," Shalit told Army Radio. "The public supports, initiates and participates in activities to free Gilad and does not believe the declarations that everything is being done for his release."
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