Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

[High_Gravity]

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli and Hamas officials announced late Tuesday that they have reached a prisoner swap deal to free a captured Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip in exhange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, capping five years of painful negotiations that have repeatedly collapsed in fingerpointing and violence.

The deal would bring home Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006 by Palestinian militants who burrowed into Israel and dragged him into Gaza. Little has been known about his fate since then.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened an urgent meeting Tuesday night with his Cabinet to approve the deal, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. A senior Hamas official in Cairo also confirmed the deal.

The agreement would exchange Schalit, 25, for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel had previously balked at Hamas' demands because some of the prisoners are serving lengthy sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Exact details of the deal were not immediately available.

A Hamas delegation led by a top Hamas official, Mahmoud Zahar, had arrived in Cairo Monday night from the group's headquarters in Syria. The deal would be implemented in a week, the senior Hamas official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

Schalit's plight has captured the attention of Israel, where military service is mandatory for Jewish citizens and families identify with the Schalit family's pain. The soldier's father, Noam, has become a well-known public figure by leading a campaign to win his son's freedom, leading demonstrations and sleeping in a tent outside Netanyahu's residence.

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

 

[martybegan]

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli and Hamas officials announced late Tuesday that they have reached a prisoner swap deal to free a captured Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip in exhange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, capping five years of painful negotiations that have repeatedly collapsed in fingerpointing and violence.

The deal would bring home Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006 by Palestinian militants who burrowed into Israel and dragged him into Gaza. Little has been known about his fate since then.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened an urgent meeting Tuesday night with his Cabinet to approve the deal, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. A senior Hamas official in Cairo also confirmed the deal.

The agreement would exchange Schalit, 25, for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel had previously balked at Hamas' demands because some of the prisoners are serving lengthy sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Exact details of the deal were not immediately available.

A Hamas delegation led by a top Hamas official, Mahmoud Zahar, had arrived in Cairo Monday night from the group's headquarters in Syria. The deal would be implemented in a week, the senior Hamas official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

Schalit's plight has captured the attention of Israel, where military service is mandatory for Jewish citizens and families identify with the Schalit family's pain. The soldier's father, Noam, has become a well-known public figure by leading a campaign to win his son's freedom, leading demonstrations and sleeping in a tent outside Netanyahu's residence.

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

1000 to 1????

I understand they want the guy back, but doesnt this set a bad precendent?

Kidnap one of ours, and we give you back a battalion.

 

[High_Gravity]

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli and Hamas officials announced late Tuesday that they have reached a prisoner swap deal to free a captured Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip in exhange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, capping five years of painful negotiations that have repeatedly collapsed in fingerpointing and violence.

The deal would bring home Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006 by Palestinian militants who burrowed into Israel and dragged him into Gaza. Little has been known about his fate since then.

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened an urgent meeting Tuesday night with his Cabinet to approve the deal, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. A senior Hamas official in Cairo also confirmed the deal.

The agreement would exchange Schalit, 25, for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel had previously balked at Hamas' demands because some of the prisoners are serving lengthy sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Exact details of the deal were not immediately available.

A Hamas delegation led by a top Hamas official, Mahmoud Zahar, had arrived in Cairo Monday night from the group's headquarters in Syria. The deal would be implemented in a week, the senior Hamas official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

Schalit's plight has captured the attention of Israel, where military service is mandatory for Jewish citizens and families identify with the Schalit family's pain. The soldier's father, Noam, has become a well-known public figure by leading a campaign to win his son's freedom, leading demonstrations and sleeping in a tent outside Netanyahu's residence.

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

1000 to 1????

I understand they want the guy back, but doesnt this set a bad precendent?

Kidnap one of ours, and we give you back a battalion.

It seems that the Palestinians view Israeli life is worth more than their own, otherwise they wouldn't ask so much for 1 man, on the other hand I applaude the Israelis effort to get back their man.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

Gilad Shalit Deal Reached With Hamas: Israel Radio

1000 to 1????

I understand they want the guy back, but doesnt this set a bad precendent?

Kidnap one of ours, and we give you back a battalion.

It seems that the Palestinians view Israeli life is worth more than their own, otherwise they wouldn't ask so much for 1 man, on the other hand I applaude the Israelis effort to get back their man.

They asked because they could get it.

It is good that the kid can finally go home.

 

[Ropey]

Netanyahu Announces Deal to Free Shalit

Israel and Hamas have reached a tentative agreement on a proposal brokered by Egypt to exchange Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli soldier held captive for more than five years, both sides said Tuesday. The Israeli cabinet was meeting in emergency session to discuss it.
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Shalit family

Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was kidnapped in by Hamas in 2006.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who summoned all 29 Cabinet ministers to vote on the agreement concerning the fate of the captive soldier, Staff. Sgt. Gilad Shalit, went on Israeli television beforehand to announce it, a sign that he was confident of Cabinet approval.

“If all goes according to plan, Gilad will be returning to Israel in the coming days,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

Ali Baraka, the Hamas representative in Lebanon, said an agreement was reached through indirect negotiations conducted by Egypt. He said Sergeant Shalit would be freed under terms of the exchange but did not specify when. Osama Hamdan, another Hamas representative in Lebanon, said Khaled Meshal, the Syrian-based Hamas leader, was planning to speak about the agreement later.

Al Arabiya, the satellite network, first reported that Egyptian mediators had made a breakthrough in the prisoner-swap negotiations, and that the exchange for Sergeant Shalit could happen as early as November.

Israel and Hamas agree deal to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit

Hamas has been defying the Geneva convention regarding prisoners on a daily basis since its inception. Gilad has been denied and continues to be refused Red Cross visits and no regular contact with his loved ones. Hamas has been doing this for over five years and with the tacit approval in the silence of the EU and the UN.

Aid should have been limited until the release of Gilad was effected imo as it would have been the right and moral thing to do. Now Israel will take a massive risk to recover this unfortunate kidnapped soldier. History clearly shows released terrorists return to terrorism to threaten, maim and kill again. Should they be successful in doing so the blood of the victims is on the hands of every Hamas/Gaza supporter. Gilad is one man. Let us see what Israel has to give up (in released terrorists) for one of their own.

There will be a list of all those released and I will post it in here.

 

[High_Gravity]

I am glad the man will finally be free.

 

[High_Gravity]

I heard Israel is letting 1000 Palestinian prisoners go.

 

[JStone]

So, now. as prearranged, Israel will release every Arab terrorist from jail in exchange for one Jew because the Jews value life while the Arabs desire death

 

[P F Tinmore]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Head of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Mishaal, revealed that the prisoner exchange deal reached between Hamas and the Israeli occupation through German and Egyptian mediation, stipulates the release of 1027 Palestinian captives in exchange for Israeli captive Gilad Shalit.

In a televised speech on Tuesday evening Mishaal said: "The exchange deal will be in two stages; the first stage will see 450 captives released within a week, the second stage will see the release of 550 after two months of the first stage."

He also said that all 27 female captives will be released and the first stage will include 315 captives serving life sentences.

He promised that his movement will spare no efforts to get the rest of the Palestinian captives released.

Mishaal: The deal stipulates release of 1027 Palestinian captives

 

[JStone]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Head of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Mishaal, revealed that the prisoner exchange deal reached between Hamas and the Israeli occupation through German and Egyptian mediation, stipulates the release of 1027 Palestinian captives in exchange for Israeli captive Gilad Shalit.

Eminent Journalist Sir Harold Evans, Knighted for Services to Journalism and the International Press Institute's "50 Heroes Of World Press Freedom" and Former Editor of the London Times.

Israel is not an "occupying power" in Gaza in either fact or international law. Four years ago Israel voluntarily pulled out all its soldiers and uprooted all its settlers from Gaza. Here was a wonderful chance for Gaza to be the building block of a Palestinian state, and for Hamas to do what the Israelis did – take a piece of land and build a model state. They didn't. Instead of helping the desperate Palestinians, they conducted a religious war.

...Hamas is committed not just to fight Israeli soldiers; it is a terrorist organisation hellbent on the destruction of the state of Israel.

While new rockets hit Israel over many months there was no rush by the world's moralisers – including Britain – to censure Hamas, no urgency as there was in "world opinion" when Israel finally responded. Then Israel was immediately accused of a "disproportionate" response without anyone thinking: "What is a 'proportionate' attack against an enemy dedicated to exterminating your people?" A dedication to exterminating all of his?

Colonel Richard Kemp, a British commander in Bosnia and Afghanistan, stated: "The Israeli Defence Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare." The "collateral damage" was less than the Nato allies inflicted on the Bosnians in the conflict with Yugoslavia.

No doubt there were blunders. A defensive war is still a war with all its suffering and destruction. But Hamas compounded its original war crime with another. It held its own people hostage. It used them as human shields. It regarded every (accidental) death as another bullet in the propaganda war.
A moral atrocity | Harold Evans | Comment is free | The Guardian

 

[P F Tinmore]

Here was a wonderful chance for Gaza to be the building block of a Palestinian state, and for Hamas to do what the Israelis did – take a piece of land and build a model state.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR5BDwEW6uw]Laila El-Haddad, Journalist, Author, Gaza Mom-The Autograph-09-21-2011 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JStone]

merged with existing thread

Shiraz Maher: Muslims Should Condemn Hamas, Not Israel
Britain's Muslims should condemn Hamas, not Israel - Telegraph

I am a Muslim and spent a large part of my childhood in Saudi Arabia – something which, in the eyes of many Muslims, means I should automatically defend the "Palestinian struggle". This is absurd and such support invariably means overlooking the vicious crimes being perpetrated by Hamas – against the Jews and, increasingly, its own population too. Israel is responding to a barrage of Hamas rockets which threaten its citizens who live in the south. Indeed, around 10 per cent of the Israeli population now lives within striking distance of katyusha rockets.

All this follows the unilateral withdrawal of Israeli settlements in Gaza in 2005, after which Hamas swept to power and turned "the Strip" into its own paramilitary playground, using it as a springboard to launch a campaign of sustained and indiscriminate attacks into southern Israel.

Hamas will now pay a heavy price for its bloodlust and innocent civilians will tragically die as a result. Of course, it is in their name that those who have staged loud and noisy demonstrations in recent weeks claim to be acting. But what message are they sending exactly

Muslim leaders...have so far – but cannot any longer – allow this to continue unabated. Those who claim to support and empathise with the Palestinians must recognise that it is the terrorists of Hamas who have so disastrously betrayed their own people. At its core, this is the straightforward decision that British Muslims will have to make: between Hamas, a terrorist group committed to destroying a sovereign state and its people – and Israel, the region's only democracy which is responding to that threat.

 

[P F Tinmore]

So, now. as prearranged, Israel will release every Arab terrorist from jail in exchange for one Jew because the Jews value life while the Arabs desire death

Hamas had the upper hand so they played it.

 

[JStone]

So, now. as prearranged, Israel will release every Arab terrorist from jail in exchange for one Jew because the Jews value life while the Arabs desire death

Hamas had the upper hand so they played it.

And, you have nothing, loser. Not even one rep point in a message board

 

[P F Tinmore]

So, now. as prearranged, Israel will release every Arab terrorist from jail in exchange for one Jew because the Jews value life while the Arabs desire death

Hamas had the upper hand so they played it.

And, you have nothing, loser. Not even one rep point in a message board

So, the Palestinians hold the legal and moral high ground.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Hamas had the upper hand so they played it.

And, you have nothing, loser. Not even one rep point in a message board

So, the Palestinians hold the legal and moral high ground.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0leK3tVudV8]"The United States exempts Israel from International Law" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JStone]

Gaza Christians Under Siege
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adeKtTlejNY]Christians under Siege in Gaza - UN Silent - YouTube[/ame]

 

[GogUndMagog]

@IsraeliPM
The PM of Israel
I am bringing #Gilad #Shalit home !

 

[P F Tinmore]

And, you have nothing, loser. Not even one rep point in a message board

So, the Palestinians hold the legal and moral high ground.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0leK3tVudV8]"The United States exempts Israel from International Law" - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAKOtINJHWw]Diana Buttu: Palestinian Refugee Rights & Negotiations - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Jos]

They still hold plenty more
1 Israeli is being held prisoner by Palestinians, while 5,554 Palestinians are currently imprisoned by Israel.