Israel ready to free 1000 prisoners in Shalit deal

[Behind the Aegis]

Israel is expecting that progress will be achieved on the negotiations for the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit as a result of the meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and exiled Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal, in Damascus on Monday. The two Hamas leaders were expected to have reached an agreement on the deal that is being negotiated for the release of Shalit in exchange for the freeing of many Palestinian prisoners.

Israel informed Egypt's intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, of its willingness to release prisoners, during meetings the Egyptian mediator held in Israel last week, a senior source in Jerusalem said Monday.

"We agreed to release several hundred women and children, mostly the young among them," the Israeli source said. "We have also agreed to release several hundred Palestinian prisoners, among them prisoners sentenced to many years in prison," he added.

The senior Israeli source said that the total number of prisoners that Israel would be willing to release "revolves around one thousand. We have made the figure clear to Egypt and they know our stance. The prisoners will be released in a number of stages, women and children during the first stage.


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[mike_c]

1. they could have saved everyone a great deal of misery...

...if they had done this last summer rather than reoccupying Gaza and pounding it for six months.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Then again, the PA could have saved everyone misery...

...by doing the job of tracking down the kidnapped solider and returning him to Israel.

[still_one]

3. and If Hamas didn't kidnap him in the first place, they to could have avoided a great deal of misery

and if Hamas would accept a two state solution, that might avoid further misery also

[mike_c]

6. that logic cuts both ways-- Israel likewise could have prevented this...

...by not rounding up and imprisoning THOUSANDS of Palestinians. The chain of provocations is long and goes back through much of the last century. Following it is an exercise in futility, IMO.

[everythingsxen]

11. What do you mean "rounding up"...

AFAIK most if not all of the Palestinian in Israeli jails are there for a reason. Usually being cell leaders of terrorists.

[Tom Joad]

4. Why didn't they do this months ago?

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Like in October when it was turned down by Hamas?

[breakaleg]

7. What I would like to know is who are these Palestinian prisonsers and what

have they been found guilty of, or what charges are they being held on etc.

I'm always astounded as these prisoner swaps - 1 for many. It implies that one life is worth more than the other. On the other hand, why would Israel let go any people convicted in court of serious crimes such as murder.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. You almost answered your own question.

"On the other hand, why would Israel let go any people convicted in court of serious crimes such as murder. "

"It implies that one life is worth more than the other." is almost correct. So, why does Israel do it? Because an Israeli life is important enough to them that they would even release criminals. The Palestinian (what ever the group)/Hizb'allah terrorists count on that fact.

[cali]

9. Have you ever noticed that Americans

by and large, are far more concerned with the lives of American soldiers that Iraqis? It's not a way of looking at the world that I endorse, but it's certainly a common one, and hardly relegated only to Israelis. Palestinians consider the lives of Palestinians more valuble than Israelis. Canadians, I'm sure put a higher value on Canadian lives. It's simply the way of the world. Surely you've noticed.

[breakaleg]

10. Of course I understand that.

But I also think it says a lot about the crimes or charges these people are being held on.