The Prime Minister’s Office on Monday released a statement that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu does not plan to release terrorists with blood on their hands to a place that will permit them to strike Israelis again, responding to a report in the German Der Spiegel that Israel withdrew its latest offer to Hamas in ongoing German-mediated efforts to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit.

The prepared message added “the prime minister plans to protect Israel’s security interests” in the ongoing talks towards obtaining Shalit’s release.

In a related matter, the captive soldier’s parents, Noam and Aviva, met on Monday morning with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chaggai Hadas, the prime minister’s special envoy addressing the ongoing negotiations, working to strike a mutually acceptable deal with Hamas that will result in Gilad’s return home. Also present was Betzalel Raz, an uncle of Gilad’s.

Officials report the meeting is one of the regularly scheduled briefings with the parents to inform them on the current situation, seeking to play down the significance of the event since such meetings generally spark a media buzz.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)