The prime minister’s emissary regarding Gilad Shalit, Ofer Dekel, is off to Cairo again this week in the hope of jump-starting talks with the Egyptians.

According to Egyptian officials, a Hamas delegation in Cairo has been addressing talks to bridge the gap between Hamas and Fatah, but the matter of Gilad Shalit or a ceasefire with Israel is no longer on their agenda.

Shimshon Liebman, a leader of the movement to obtain Shalit’s release, on Tuesday welcomed the incoming Knesset and bestowed his good wishes on them, making a passionate plea to the current transition administration not to pass the Shalit issue to the incoming government, but to resolve the situation and arrange for the soldier’s release now.

In a related matter, the jury is in and the overwhelming response to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s decision to dismiss Defense Minister official Amos Gilad has been met with overwhelming disapproval, and despite Olmert’s statements of assurance, most feel the move will severely handicap ongoing efforts to obtain Shalit’s release.

In an address before a senior Jewish Agency forum, the prime minister stated [in English] “I wish I had the freedom and ability to tell many things, but I do not. I am the prime minister”.

Olmert was making reference to the recent Maariv newspaper interview in which Amos Gilad slammed the prime minister, which led to his dismissal. Olmert stated he cannot detail the efforts taking place on behalf of Gilad Shalit, but he remains confident that following the soldier’s release, everything will become clear to all.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)