Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered the Gaza border crossings to remain closed today, Tuesday, in response to a Kassam rocket attack on Monday.

Barak left for Greece on Monday night, where he will be meeting with senior state officials, the chancellor of Austria and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Mr. Barak is scheduled to return to Israel on Tuesday afternoon.

In the meantime, despite assurances from Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad and others, the negotiations to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit do not seem to be moving ahead. Complicating matters is a recent Hamas statement that the talks will not advance “until Israel complies with the ceasefire,” referring to the continued closure of Gaza crossings. Hamas officials in Gaza stated the embargo on Gaza must be lifted and before this occurs, talks regarding Shalit will not continue.

Further complicating matters is the disagreement between Hamas and Israel regarding the list of prisoners to be released by Israel.

While security agencies oppose the release of terrorists with “blood on their hands,” Hamas is pushing for the release of these very terrorists, encouraged in their efforts following Israel’s willingness to release Samir Kuntar in exchange for the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.

The government is coming under increasing criticism for agreeing to the Gaza ceasefire without including Shalit in that deal, and agreeing to the Regev-Goldwasser deal with Hizbullah before negotiating the release of Shalit, who is known to be alive.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)