Israeli Soldier Gilad Shalit to be Released by Hamas

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Middle East media are reporting that the Israeli government and the militant group Hamas are very close to a concluding a prisoner-swap deal to release the young Hamas-held soldier, Gilad Shalit, in exchange for almost a thousand Palestinians being held by the Israelis.

From occupied East Jerusalem, the Ma’an News agency said the German mediator who has been working on the prisoner swap is in Gaza City working out final details:

…. [T]he State Attorney’s Office [of Israel] disclosed, “As part of an agreement with Hamas, which would allow the return of soldier Gilad Shalit to Israel … there is a possibility for the release in principle of about 450 prisoners whose names are being delivered by Hamas.”

Some 530 Palestinians selected by Israel will also be released “[a]s a gesture to the Palestinian people” in a second stage of the deal, the office added. “The list of these prisoners has not been formed yet and no criteria have been set on this matter.”

Holding up the deal, which has been rumored for weeks, are Hamas’s demands for three militants, who were involved in violent attacks during the intifada, whom Israel doesn’t intend to release: Ibrahim Hamad, Abdullah Barghouti and Abbas Asayeb. There are also said to be five Palestinian females that Israel doesn’t intend to release.

A new poll found that 62% of the Israeli public supported swapping even convicted terrorists in order to free the 23-year-old soldier being held in Gaza by Hamas militants, and only 20% believe the Israeli government is doing all it can to free him. Since he was captured in June 2006, Shalit’s parents have had to resort to lobbying government officials directly and have given their support to rallies and internet campaigns to focus attention on him.

For the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, the pitfalls of negotiating with a terrorist group are obvious. One of the biggest problems is the prisoner swap’s potential for making Hamas look powerful – clearly a lose-lose situation, as Newsweek’s Jason Peraino points out this morning:

Even some Israelis were pleased by the rumors last week that Marwan Barghouti, the jailed Palestinian leader, could be one of roughly 1,000 prisoners freed in exchange for 23-year-old Israeli Sgt. Gilad Shalit. Doves have long argued that the popular Barghouti, who supports a two-state solution, could be an effective peace partner. But the controversy over another Bar ghouti is threatening to scuttle the deal. Hamas leaders are demanding the release of Abdullah Barghouti–a bomb maker convicted in 2004 by a military court of killing 66 Israelis–as part of the package. Although polls indicate that a slim majority of Israelis now favor releasing even violent prisoners for Shalit’s freedom, many draw the line at unrepentant killers like Abdullah. That may be just as well. The Palestinian Authority is in disarray. The current president, Mahmoud Abbas, and several of his top ministers have threatened to resign, despite an Israeli promise of a 10-month West Bank settlement freeze. Springing Marwan now would only strengthen Hamas, which would rightfully take credit for his release. That would weaken Abbas further–and at just the moment when a strong partner is needed at the negotiating table.”

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