Inside Story - No ceasefire until Shalit freed? Feb 19, 2009, Part 2,

The release of one Israeli soldier will decide the fate of a long term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.




The deal, brokered by Egypt, was expected to be signed this week. But on Wednesday, Israel's security cabinet decided that there will be no truce in Gaza until Corporal Gilad Shalit is freed.

In exchange of Shalit, Hamas wants the freedom of several hundred Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

Till Wednesday, the truce and the prisoner swap were being negotiated independently. Amos Gilad, the Israeli negotiator with Cairo has lashed out on prime minister Olmert for linking the release of Shalit to the truce deal.

Egyptian mediators have said they are angry that Israel changed its stance just as an agreement was about to be approved.

How can the latest move by the Israeli cabinet be interpreted? Does the sudden shift in the Israeli position risk causing tension with Cairo? Is the current government hoping to roll the whole issue to the next government? Would Netanyahu be better equipped to deal with the issue?

And why has Shalit's release become a headline while 11 thousand Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails are hardly mentioned anywhere? Are they worth less?

Inside Story is joind by Khaleda Jarar, director of Addameer, a prisoners' support and human rights association; Ghassan Al-Khatib, a political analyst, and vice-president of Bir Zeit university; and Efraim Inbar, a politics professor at Bar-Ilan university and the director of Begin-Sadat centre for strategic studies (BESA).

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[dangolingo]

The media rarely mentions the 10,000+ kidnapped palestinians in Israel's concentration camps.

[micahgee]

nazi's killed plenty of babies

Way to spam tho

[x51291x]

Gebt Gilad Shalit frei! Friede sei mit Euch!

Laßt meinen Sohn gehen, spricht der Herr!

Ihr habt die Wahl, nehmt ihr den Frieden oder den Krieg... Gebt ihr ihm die Freiheit, dann werdet auch ihr Freiheit erleben, so spricht der HERR.

Frieden den Palästinensern! Es lebe Gilad Shalit! Führt ihn hinaus und gebt ihm seine Freiheit wieder! Danke. Ein Freund Israels und ein Freund Gilads!

[FeldwebelWolfenstool]

1,000 pals for a single Yid? Wow. I didn't know that the pals considered themselves so relatively worthless. Would'nt a better deal have been made trading Mr.Shalit for 1,000's of goats, chickens, and donkeys instead?

[meg28scot]

Get real, although some of the settlers withdrew from Gaza, there are still plenty there. The blockades/borders are still classed as occupation, they have never left..

The borders are not closed because of the suicide bombers but to starve the Palestinians of their basic needs, thinking Hamas will surrender, NEVER, As long as their land/homes, water and food is stolen by the Zionists, Hamas will never stop resisting Israel's illegal occupation and deprivation,closed borders do not stop rockets

[yekal]

why don´t Gilads mother and father go to visit him? This family can go and see they son???? So is not a fair! But we know, palestinier never are!

[Uknowme8same]

HE IS HOT

[allykat107]

There are settlements in the West Bank but Israel completely withdrew from Gaza three years ago no occupation there now. The borders were closed because of suicide bombers, illegal workers, drugs, arms and crime coming thru. They are open for aid for Gaza. Will not be opened for Hamas (I hope) for political gain. I hate the wall but Palis/Israel must make secure peace before barriers are taken down. Peace and security for all - two state solution with open borders and no occupation. Amen

[valken666]

So they are actually muslins? lol jews are muslins, figures.

[hetty21]

I am so tired of Israels dirty games and lies and even more tired of how some of the world leaders are being manipulated by them or by their money. Dont they have any pride or backbone. Dont they see this is totally wrong?

[kezza10mail]

the IDF are different from the others

because they start wars for personal gain

the arabs try to defend their soverginety