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World Jewish News
Olmert using Netanyahu to pressure Hamas on Shalit deal
15.03.2009
Like a 'B' thriller, it seems that those in charge of talks over kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit mean to stretch our nerves to the hilt. Last night, only a few days before Olmert leaves office, his bureau reported that talks were being ratcheted up and the cabinet might be holding a special meeting today to hear, for the first time, details of a possible prisoner-swap that some ministers have been demanding for weeks.
Throughout this period, Olmert has been playing his cards close to his chest. Defense Minister Ehud Barak is being intentionally kept out of the loop; his emissary, Amos Gilad, did not this time either go to Cairo with Olmert's negotiator Ofer Dekel and Shin Bet security service head Yuval Diskin.
Even when it was reported here about a week ago that the chance of Shalit's release seemed to be receding, sources close to Olmert insisted a deal could be attained. Olmert does have an asset now beyond the Hamas prisoners: prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. Olmert appears to be telling Hamas "I am your last chance for a deal. Netanyahu will not be so generous."
We must hope that Dekel and Diskin manage to bring back a reasonable deal from Cairo. But even if they do, the tough question must be asked: Could the deal not have been made earlier, at a lower price?
Israel has apparently agreed to release all the prisoners on the Hamas list. The remaining dispute is over whether a few dozen of the most dangerous murderers, those with the technical know-how to create bombs and explosive belts and conscript suicide bombers, will be deported. Hamas will apparently agree to deport only a few.
Hamas insists on acting as if it has all the time in the world. But Palestinian public opinion, particularly in Gaza, wants results. To them, the achievement is in Israel's willingness to release suicide bombers and other "heavy-duty" terrorists, and they won't stand for a failure in the talks over the deportation of a few dozen.
But a failure there might be. It is hard to imagine Israel allowing such dangerous terrorists back to their homes in the West Bank. Diskin's participation is intended to give the talks the security stamp of approval, but will Olmert be able to explain it to the public? Or is it merely a last-minute spin?
As things look now, most of the ministers will vote for a deal. But the key is in the hands of one man, the prime minister.
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents
Источник: Haaretz
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