An Arab newspaper has reported that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu approved a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas terrorists that would eventually result in the return of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
According to the report published Thursday in Al Manar, the prime minister agreed to carry out the first stage of the deal, in which Shalit will be transferred to Egypt.
The newspaper, which is distributed in Arab neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem, said the prime minister's approval for the deal came during a three-way meeting held recently between Israel's chief negotiator, Haggai Hadas, and the German mediator who has been working on the case.
David Baker, spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, was tight-lipped when Israel National News asked about the deal, however. "We have no reaction to that report," he said firmly, and refused further comment.
The Arabic-language Alhurra network in the United States also reported Wednesday that a deal was imminent, possibly to be concluded as soon as Friday, November 27, the eve of the Muslim feast of the sacrifice of Ishmael, Id al-Adha.
The unconfirmed report said "hundreds of prisoners" from Israeli jails would be freed in exchange for the Israeli soldier in the first stage of the deal, which would bring Shalit to Egypt. In the second stage, Shalit would be transferred to Israel.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Wednesday during a visit to Israel that the involvement of a German mediator in the negotiations with Hamas was a positive move and that the French government did not want to interfere in the talks.
Shalit is a French national and holds dual Israeli-French citizenship. His father, Noam Shalit, had no comment on the reports, other than to tell reporters on Wednesday, "It's not over till it's over."
Hamas denial
A senior Hamas terrorist has denied there has been any significant progress made on a prisoner exchange deal for the release of Shalit, being held hostage by the terror group in Gaza.Salah Bardawil, who serves as a member of the PA Legislative Council, claimed that it is too early to talk about any specific date for a prisoner exchange.
