Good for Israel. We all know that secretly, Hamas REALLY needs this 18 month truce - they got their asses beat bad in the Cast Lead Operation by the IDF and IAF and they are some hurtin' mutherfuckers right now. So, it is a perfect time for the Israelis to hammer home the Shalit realease demands. I know that some of you probably think that Gilad Shalit is dead and that may very well be true but I have this gut feeling that he is not. Here's some of the details of what Israeli's Olmert said today from the Reuters article:
Okay, time for a quick Holger Awakens pop quiz: How long has IDF soldier Gilad Shalit been held captive by Hamas? Answer: Shalit was captured on June 25, 2006 - it will be three years in just a few months. Unbelievable, eh?
Now, I would have handle trying to get Shalit back a whole lot differently but like I said earlier, Hamas isn't in the best bargaining position right now and they desperately want to get their military strength back up so who knows, perhaps one final carrot can be dangled in front of the terrorist group that will cave them.
Israel said on Saturday it would not agree to a ceasefire with the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip unless an Israeli soldier held by the Islamists was freed.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said in a statement: "The prime minister's position is that Israel will not reach understandings on a truce before the release of Gilad Shalit."
Israel wants to tie any ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza to the release of soldier Shalit, held captive in the Palestinian enclave since 2006 when he was kidnapped in a cross-border raid.
Okay, time for a quick Holger Awakens pop quiz: How long has IDF soldier Gilad Shalit been held captive by Hamas? Answer: Shalit was captured on June 25, 2006 - it will be three years in just a few months. Unbelievable, eh?
Now, I would have handle trying to get Shalit back a whole lot differently but like I said earlier, Hamas isn't in the best bargaining position right now and they desperately want to get their military strength back up so who knows, perhaps one final carrot can be dangled in front of the terrorist group that will cave them.
Israel rules out Gaza truce unless soldier freed
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said on Saturday it would not agree to a ceasefire with the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip unless an Israeli soldier held by the Islamists was freed.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said in a statement: "The prime minister's position is that Israel will not reach understandings on a truce before the release of Gilad Shalit."
Israel wants to tie any ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza to the release of soldier Shalit, held captive in the Palestinian enclave since 2006 when he was kidnapped in a cross-border raid.
Egypt is mediating a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israeli media reported significant headway had been achieved in the indirect talks.
Hamas spokesman in Gaza Fawzi Barhoum told Reuters that the Egyptian-mediated talks were stalled by disagreement on the duration of the ceasefire. Israel wants a permanent ceasefire while Hamas favors an 18-month truce that could be extended.
"Once this obstacle is overcome an announcement would be made," Barhoum said.
Hamas has rejected Israeli demands to include the fate of Shalit in the ceasefire agreement. The Islamist group wants Israel to open all border crossings with the Gaza Strip as a condition for talks on the release of Shalit.
Hamas has demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails in exchange for Shalit.
1 comment:
about time that Israel stood firm... NO MORE DEALS WITHOUT THE RELEASE OF GILAD SHALIT.. Give these terrorists an ultimatum, otherwise hit them hard. Now that the IDF has them on the defensive, now is the time for Israel to negotiate from a position of strenth
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