MIDEAST: Israelis and Palestinians voice mixed opinions over prisoner-swap deal between Israel and the Islamist group

Record ID: 755516

  • Title: MIDEAST: Israelis and Palestinians voice mixed opinions over prisoner-swap deal between Israel and the Islamist group
  • Date: 4th October 2009
  • Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (OCTOBER 3, 2009) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET
  • Embargoed: 19th October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9JR206FTIKN1LGF8LLWP2CVHZ
  • Story Text: The father of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit voiced doubt on Saturday (October 3) over the release of his son any time soon, a day after the implementation of a swap deal between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas.
    On Friday (October 2), Israel released 19 Palestinian women prisoners in exchange for a video showing proof that Shalit, who is being held by Hamas in Gaza, is alive.
    The video showed Gilad Shalit, abducted in 2006, holding up a copy of the Arabic-language newspaper "Palestine" dated Sept. 14, in a classic "proof of life" gesture by Hamas.
    "We are very worried and our main concern is that things will be dragged over more years, God-forbid," Shalit's father, Noam, told reporters outside of his home.
    The exchange with Hamas, brokered by German and Egyptian diplomacy, is seen as a move towards a major Palestinian prisoner release and freedom for Shalit, priorities for both sides since his capture in a cross-border raid in June 2006.
    But Israelis and Palestinians voiced mixed feelings regarding the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
    In the coastal Israeli city of Tel Aviv, resident Erez Yuval said that the proof of Shalit's well-being will expedite his return home.
    "I believe the trading was a positive thing, the vital sign of Gilad Shalit hope to the Israeli people that he will be back and it puts a lot of pressure on the government to make a bigger prisoner trades so he will be back home," Yuval told Reuters.
    But another Tel Aviv resident, Ofer Sarid, said that the prisoner swap deal is an encouragement for further kidnappings of Israeli soldiers.
    "I don't approve of the deal made with Gilad Shalit because I don't think Israel is giving a real incentive for the Hamas to bring him back. I think the opposite is happening... it is a situation where Gilad is like a 'golden goose' who lays golden eggs. So there isn't really a reason to bring him back because they (Hamas) can squeeze more and more from the situation. Even more than this, it encourages more kidnappings," Sarid said.
    Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, resident Amam al-Amouri thanked Hamas for negotiating the release of the prisoners.
    "We thank the Palestinian opposition (referring to Hamas) for bringing about the release of the Palestinian (female) prisoners. Yesterday was a day of national Palestinian celebration. We thank the opposition for holding on to Shalit this entire time. This indicates that Hamas has specific tactics and abilities. And I hope that there comes a day when we will see all the Zionist jails emptied of our captives," he said.
    In the West Bank city of Ramallah, administered by Hamas's rival Fatah, resident Ramadan Sharkawi said that the swap deal was minimal since the captives should have never been jailed in the first place.
    "This step and the joy that was brought long are lacking. 20 out of 11,000 prisoners is not much. And though it is a step, we cannot oversee the fact that 20 women were released who should have never been incarcerated in the first place," he said.
    It is estimated that more than 10,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons.
    The final prisoner in the current swap is due to go home on Sunday (October 4).
    Israeli families whose sons and daughters serve in the conscript army identify readily with the parents of Shalit.
    He served in a tank unit and was last seen by Israelis three years ago in June as gunmen tunnelled into Israel from Gaza and killed two fellow soldiers. Two attackers were also killed and Shalit was abducted.
    In exchange for Shalit, Hamas seeks the release of hundreds of prisoners, including militants convicted of deadly attacks whom Israel has said in the past it would not set free.
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