Once again, the desired release of IDF soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit is    maintaining a high position in news headlines in Israel as Egyptian Intelligence Chief General Omar Suleiman continues meeting with Hamas leaders.

Next month will mark two years since Shalit was successfully abducted from Kerem Shalom during a terror attack by Hamas, with his parents and family members compelled to endure the daily agony, accompanied by regular doses of conflicting reports circulating in the media, local and foreign alike.

There are conflicting reports regarding Israel conducting talks with Hamas, conflicting reports regarding any hope of Shalit being included in a possible ceasefire/truce, conflicting reports regarding Israel’s willingness to release terrorists with “blood on their hands” and conflicting reports regarding almost every aspect and details of ongoing efforts towards the release of the soldier.

“Tahadiyeh” and “hudna” are just two of the new media buzzwords that Israelis have come to recognize as the mainstream press enjoys presenting the Arabic terms used by Hamas to describe the level of ceasefire, truce, cessation of violence and so-forth.

This was also the case with “Intifada”, which seems to have become incorporated in the Modern Hebrew dictionary, the Arab method used to mask armed attacks against Jewish civilians throughout Yesha, calling it an “uprising”.

Some senior government ministers appear to be carefully choosing their words, perhaps demanding increased readership perception regarding their intentions. Defense Minister Ehud Barak for example has signaled if Hamas halts attacks, Israel will cease firing into Gaza since there will be no need for such action. He has recently stated that acceptance of the formal Egyptian initiative, an official ceasefire, must be accompanied by preconditions, including a total cessation of rocket attacks by Hamas and the release of Gilad Shalit.

Other ministers, including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, appears intentionally ambiguous, generally ducking responses that would define her parameters for a deal, seeking to remain in the media spotlight as the number one government messenger capable of delivering an agreement, perhaps setting the stage to succeed Olmert.

Noam Shalit, Gilad’s father, told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) this week that in general, he receives his information from the electronic and print media, stating sadly, he is rarely given and privileged updates from official government sources.

Many of the statements released intentionally or leaked to the media by Egypt and Hamas paint a different picture, some backed up on Monday by Vice Premier Chaim Ramon, who stated despite statements to the contrary, Israel in essence is indeed conducting negotiations with Hamas.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)