Israel accepts German-mediated Shalit swap deal: report

[oberliner]

BERLIN — Israel has accepted a German-mediated prisoner swap deal for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to which Hamas has yet to respond, Germany weekly Der Spiegel said in its edition to appear Monday.

"The German secret services have recently been holding talks with the Israeli government and Hamas. The aim is to obtain the exchange of Gilad Shalit against several hundred Palestinian prisoners," Der Spiegel said.

The Israeli government of right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the proposal which would see 450 Palestinian prisoners released and Hamas has until early September to respond, Der Spiegel said, without citing sources.

Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants including from Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, in a cross-border raid in June 2006. Successive Egyptian efforts to broker a prisoner exchange deal have floundered.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gUwR9P--DG9PaUCycjdZQwaa4wiA

[bemildred]

1. A good thing, if true.

Unfortunately, far from the first time that various parties have alleged it.

[oberliner]

2. Feels closer than ever before

I share your skepticism but it certainly looks promising.

[shaayecanaan]

3. If this is true...

then presumably the 450 refers to the "hardcore" prisoners that were under negotiation. Israel has already agreed to the release of 1000 prisoners that do not have "blood on their hands".

450 was the size of Hamas' original wish list, meaning that Israel has pontificated for nearly four years before finally accepting Hamas' original proposal. Not the most productive use of time, I would submit.

[bemildred]

4. That's an interesting idea, I'd not thought of that. nt

[oberliner]

5. Israel agreed to the 450 in early 2008 - Hamas then upped the number

Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said Saturday the group would not settle for its earlier demand for 450 Palestinian prisoners, but is seeking the release of more than 1,000 in exchange for Shalit. Last week, Egyptian officials told Defense Minister Ehud Barak that Hamas wants 1,500 Palestinian prisoners set free in exchange for Shalit, with the release of 450 prisoners considered only the first of two stages of the deal.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1016860.html

[Alamuti Lotus]

6. Khaled Mashaal is expected to approve next week; anybody know if Marwan Barghouti is still included?

[oberliner]

7. Hamas denies progress on prisoner swap deal

GAZA CITY — The Islamist Hamas movement ruling the Gaza Strip on Monday denied recent media reports that German mediation had led to progress on a prisoner exchange deal with Israel.

"A German mediator made some activities one week ago, but on the ground we see nothing... there is no progress," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iL9R0YmHU-MvD6yPAIsqoUbIOGbw

[azurnoir]

8. Netanyahu: No breakthroughs expected in prisoner deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday played down reports of progress toward a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

"We are not facing a breakthrough tomorrow of the day after," Netanyahu told his cabinet at the opening of their weekly meeting.

Regarding reported progress, he was quoted by Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper as saying, "The talks about it are unfounded. There are too many talks about Gilad Shalit – and moreover, there is a lot of exaggeration and a lot of inaccurate information."

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=222380