The Le Figaro Newspaper reports that France has rejected a Hamas request to mediate talks towards hammering out an agreement with Israel for the release of Gilad Shalit.

A French diplomat was quoted by the newspaper as saying that since the German mediator has been unsuccessful to date; France is not hurrying to undertake such a role. In addition, France does not maintain formal relations with Hamas, which remains on the EU terror list. Regarding Egypt, it appears Hamas is uninterested in permitting Egypt to serve in the role since Cairo has a “hidden agenda”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)