By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
The London-based Arabic language daily Al Hayat reported Wednesday that the Hamas leadership is split over a recent Israeli proposal that could result in a prisoner swap aimed at securing the release of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, channel 10 reported.[singlepic id=92 w=320 h=240 float=right]
Shalit was captured by Gaza militants in a cross border raid in 2006. Hamas, the rulers of the Gaza Strip, have demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in exchange for the Shalit’s freedom.
According to the report, senior Damascus-based Hamas officials are in disagreement over a compromise on the list of prisoners the organization has demanded that Israel release. While the more extreme officials insist on the release of all the prisoners on the list, more moderate Hamas leaders contend that it is futile to expect that Israel will meet all of the Hamas demands.
The Arab daily further reports that for the first time since Shalit’s abduction over three years ago, Israel has agreed to release Palestinian prisoners considered “heavy” ? or having committed serious crimes. However, Hamas sources told an Al Hayat reported in Cairo that Israel still refuses to release some of the prisoners on the list, and has even turned down a Palestinian proposal to deport those men from the Palestinian territories following their release.
Among the prisoners Israel refuses to release are Ibrahim Hamed, the former commander of Hamas’ military wing and the mastermind behing the terror bombing at Moment café in Jerusalem, Abdallah Barghouti, a relative of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti and another mastermind of the Moment attack as well as the terror attacks at a Sbarro pizza parlor in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv’s Allenby Street.
The sources confirmed to Al Hayat that progress has been achieved in the negotiations over the prisoner swap, but added that the final decision will be made on Wednesday as the Damascus-based Hamas leadership reviews its options.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official told Army Radio on Wednesday that the U.S. administration is opposed to the emerging understandings between Israel and Hamas surrounding the deal. “The U.S. does not support negotiations with terror organizations,” the official said. “Washington knows that any release of Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank could harm Palestinian President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and become a victory for Hamas,” he added.
The pro-Israel lobby AIPAC also voiced concern over the possible prisoner swap but refrained from explicitly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, senior AIPAC strategist Josh Block told Army Radio that the Israeli government must find a balance between the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and the protection of Israel’s long-term interests.
Israel is striking a deal with Hamas while it should be negotiating peace with the Palestinian Authority, Block said, adding that he hoped that Israel would be able to balance between the two.
Source: Haaretz News Net

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