Breaking News: Deal Reached for Kidnapped Israeli Soldier's Freedom
by IPT News • Oct 11, 2011 at 4:47 pm
http://www.investigativeproject.org/3226/deal-reached-for-kidnapped-israeli-soldier-freedom
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that a deal has been reached with the Hamas terrorist organization to bring home kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit. The two-stage arrangement would exchange a total of 1,027 Palestinian militants for the soldier that had been kidnapped in June 2006.
"There was great tension between bringing Schalit home...and maintaining the security of Israeli citizens," Netanyahu said on Israeli television. He was also quoted saying "the window has been opened for a historic deal," following a show of flexibility in negotiations by both sides.
Schalit's freedom is a matter of days, Netanyahu said.
"We are waiting here like everyone else," Schalit's father Noam Schalit said Tuesday. "We are receiving updates, but we don't really know anything new other than what has been published."
As part of the deal, Israel agreed to first release roughly 450 terrorists, with another 550 to follow at a later date. Netanyahu convened a cabinet meeting to approve of the plan, with various reports attributing the breakthrough to German or Egyptian intervention.
Hamas reacted jubilantly to the plan, with a celebratory graphic posted on the home page of the Izz al-Deen Qassam Brigade, Hamas's military wing.
"This is a national achievement for the Palestinian people, we tried to include all Palestinian detainees in the Israeli jails, and we promise the rest of the Palestinian detainees to liberate them," said Khaled Meshaal, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau. "My Appreciations to Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian factions which managed to capture the Israeli soldier Shalit, My thanks to the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and the West Bank for their steadfastness against the Israeli siege, also my thanks to the Egyptian role in accomplishing this deal."
Related Topics: Hamas | IPT News
Read More: Khaled Meshaal, Izz al-Deen Qassam Brigade, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gilad Schalit, Hamas
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Reader comments on this item
Prisoner released
Oct 19, 2011 03:09
Let me address both comments above:
Sandy, if it were you kidnapped I am sure you would wish your country to do everything they can to set you free. Are you also sure that every single person imprisoned by Israel is a terrorist, Or do you think the word terrorist is subjective? Do you think that the little Palestine boy or girl who's house crumbled at the attack of an Isreali tank or who's parents were killed did not think the soldiers driving the tank a terrorist?
Sandford: I cannot begin to explain how offensive your comment is in so many ways. It seems you would rather take steps backwards than progress in the world today. The fact conflicts as such still occur in such an aggressive way is beyond me, yet it seems you would prefer for it to continue and would prefer for the death penalty to be a common activity. Think again.
One Good Man
Submitted by Sandy Kramer, Oct 13, 2011 02:07
It may be heartless on my part, but I have to question whether one good (Israeli) man is worth the relase of 1,000 evil (Islamic) terrorists...
Cabinet approves deal with Hamas
Submitted by Sanford Aranoff, Oct 11, 2011 21:21
This action violates the Jewish religion, which forbids payment of excessive ransom. I expect massive protests by religious Jews worldwide.
A decade or so ago Israel did the same evil thing, releasing 1000 prisoners including those with blood on their hands. This was the start of the Intifada.
Israel must reinstitute the death penalty, and mandate quick executions, not very drawn out as is the case in the U.S.
Israel is acting irrationally, as she did with leaving Gaza. See the new book Rational Thinking, Government Policies, Science, and Living. Rational thinking starts with clearly stated principles, continues with logical deductions, and then examines empirical evidence to possibly modify the principles.