Once again, officials involved in talks towards reaching a deal with Hamas for the release of Gilad Shalit are signaling a deal is not imminent as believed, but actually closing on an agreement may take another ten days or longer, perhaps a number of weeks.
While German mediator Ernst Uhrlau is in Gaza today, Wednesday, Hamas must then review the Israeli offer with the terrorist organization’s leaders in Damascus. Uhrlau is also planning to return home for the Xmas holiday, planning to return to the region sometime next week.
Arab media reports on Tuesday stated Hamas officials in Damascus have instructed Hamas officials involved in the talks to reject the Israeli response, which was handed to Uhrlau earlier this week.
Noam and Aviva Shalit are continuing lobbying efforts on behalf of their son, seeking to persuade cabinet minister to support any deal, convinced that if this opportunity to bring Gilad is missed, it will be a “death sentence” for their son.
Bereaved parents are also lobbying, calling on ministers to act responsibly and not to sanction the release of 1,000 terrorists, which will lead to the loss of additional innocent lives, they maintain. One dad explained no one would approve a deal that demanded lining up 25 innocent people and shooting them down in exchange for Shalit’s freedom and the release of 1,000 terrorists is no different.
According to an Israel Radio report from Wednesday morning, quoting PA (Palestinian Authority) officials close to the talks, they claim Israel is demanding the deportation of 123 of the released terrorists, and this is what is holding up the agreement.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is briefing cabinet ministers on Israel’s position regarding the Shalit talks as well as recent developments on the Iranian front.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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5 Responses
I am disappointed in this blog because this deal was once reported here as a “done deal”. In a way, I am sure, unitentionally, these stories now are like taking the enemies club and hitting us over the head with it.
I doubt that Hamas was ever serious about releasing Gilad. Having a hostage protects them from being attacked and also as way to emotionally hurt Klal Yisroel. They also use it as a way to make Jews argue with each other about whether he should be traded for murderers. These things are more important to them than getting back their ‘brothers’. Typically they give the impression that they are interested in a trade and then back out at the last minute in order to get everyone’s hopes up. They have done this numerous times.
What they do not know is that Hashem has given them this idea so that we should cry out to Hashem for rachmim. This is similar to how Haman caused Klal Yisroel to do teshuva. If all of us would be mekabel to purify ourselves, to learn better, to daven better. Everybody knows that they can improve themselves in some way. If this will happen then Gilad would be released very soon and they will be shame faced.
As it it says in Tehilam 84: Hashem will not forsake his nation; He will not leave his heritage (Klal Yisroel).
In Tehilam 81 it says: If only my nation would listen to me, (if) Yisroel would go in my ways; almost instantly, I would stop their enemies and I would turn my hand to their tormentors.
It is all up to us. Please let’s join together to save him. If you could just leave a small comment saying that you will join in to help, it would be a tremendous chizuk to everyone else. It is not as hard as some might think.
#2, thank you for a wonderful post!
HASHEM Y’RACHEM
#2 thank you. Being consciencious about growth and visualizing why is very important.