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Israel rejects Shalit swap terms | Israel rejects Shalit swap terms |
(1 day later) | |
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that Hamas's terms for swapping captured soldier Gilad Shalit for Palestinian prisoners are unacceptable. | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that Hamas's terms for swapping captured soldier Gilad Shalit for Palestinian prisoners are unacceptable. |
He spoke after senior Israeli envoys returned from indirect talks with Hamas in Cairo without a deal. | He spoke after senior Israeli envoys returned from indirect talks with Hamas in Cairo without a deal. |
One of his ministers accused Hamas of raising its demands to a level no Israeli government could accept. | One of his ministers accused Hamas of raising its demands to a level no Israeli government could accept. |
Hamas played down suggestions a deal had been close and said it had not changed its conditions. | Hamas played down suggestions a deal had been close and said it had not changed its conditions. |
Israel accused the Palestinian militant group of hardening its position on the proposed prisoner exchange. | Israel accused the Palestinian militant group of hardening its position on the proposed prisoner exchange. |
The talks were part of a final push by the outgoing Israeli prime minister to secure a deal before he left office. | The talks were part of a final push by the outgoing Israeli prime minister to secure a deal before he left office. |
The young soldier's father, Noam Shalit, acknowledged he would not see his son again soon. | The young soldier's father, Noam Shalit, acknowledged he would not see his son again soon. |
"This government, it seems, will not be able to bring Gilad back," he said. | "This government, it seems, will not be able to bring Gilad back," he said. |
'We have red lines' | 'We have red lines' |
Gilad Shalit, then a corporal, was captured by Palestinian militants from Gaza, including some from Hamas's armed wing, in a cross-border raid in June 2006. | Gilad Shalit, then a corporal, was captured by Palestinian militants from Gaza, including some from Hamas's armed wing, in a cross-border raid in June 2006. |
Israel holds thousands of Palestinians prisoner accused of militant activity | Israel holds thousands of Palestinians prisoner accused of militant activity |
Two other troops and two militants were killed in the raid. Gilad Shalit has since been promoted to the rank of sergeant. | Two other troops and two militants were killed in the raid. Gilad Shalit has since been promoted to the rank of sergeant. |
Egypt has been brokering the indirect talks. | Egypt has been brokering the indirect talks. |
Hamas has been demanding the release of more than 400 of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. | Hamas has been demanding the release of more than 400 of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. |
In a television address, Mr Olmert accused Hamas of making additional demands. | In a television address, Mr Olmert accused Hamas of making additional demands. |
"We will not agree to the release of additional prisoners from Hamas's list above and beyond the hundreds that we have already agreed upon and informed Hamas about," he said. | "We will not agree to the release of additional prisoners from Hamas's list above and beyond the hundreds that we have already agreed upon and informed Hamas about," he said. |
"We have red lines, and we will not cross them. We are not a defeated nation." | "We have red lines, and we will not cross them. We are not a defeated nation." |
Daniel Friedman, the Israeli justice minister, said Hamas had wrecked a possible deal by making unrealistic demands. | Daniel Friedman, the Israeli justice minister, said Hamas had wrecked a possible deal by making unrealistic demands. |
"The prime minister was prepared to make far-reaching concessions, far beyond what some other ministers were willing to do," he said. | "The prime minister was prepared to make far-reaching concessions, far beyond what some other ministers were willing to do," he said. |
"That being said, Hamas's demands reached such proportions that we believe no Israeli government could accept them." | "That being said, Hamas's demands reached such proportions that we believe no Israeli government could accept them." |
Deportation issue | Deportation issue |
A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, said Israeli negotiators had brought no new proposals to the talks. | |
He suggested the Israelis appeared to believe Hamas would accept any offer ahead of the formation of a more hardline government in Israel by right-wing prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. | He suggested the Israelis appeared to believe Hamas would accept any offer ahead of the formation of a more hardline government in Israel by right-wing prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. |
Among the prisoners Hamas wants to be freed are senior militants who have been involved in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians. | Among the prisoners Hamas wants to be freed are senior militants who have been involved in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians. |
Reports from the talks say one of the issues dividing the sides was Israel's wish to deport some of these prisoners, fearing they would be a security risk if released in the Palestinian territories. | Reports from the talks say one of the issues dividing the sides was Israel's wish to deport some of these prisoners, fearing they would be a security risk if released in the Palestinian territories. |
Hamas representatives have said the group rejects the deportation proposal on principle. | Hamas representatives have said the group rejects the deportation proposal on principle. |
Mr Olmert had made the release of Sgt Shalit a major issue of his premiership. | Mr Olmert had made the release of Sgt Shalit a major issue of his premiership. |
Sgt Shalit's family and supporters have said they fear a harder-line cabinet led by Mr Netanyahu may be less likely to do a deal. | Sgt Shalit's family and supporters have said they fear a harder-line cabinet led by Mr Netanyahu may be less likely to do a deal. |
The Shalits set up a tent in front of Mr Olmert's house last week, escalating their campaign after the prime minister said demonstrations calling for Sgt Shalit's release were unhelpful. | The Shalits set up a tent in front of Mr Olmert's house last week, escalating their campaign after the prime minister said demonstrations calling for Sgt Shalit's release were unhelpful. |
Nothing has been heard from the Israeli conscript since June 2008, two years after his capture, when a letter in his handwriting was delivered to the Carter Centre in Ramallah in the West Bank. | Nothing has been heard from the Israeli conscript since June 2008, two years after his capture, when a letter in his handwriting was delivered to the Carter Centre in Ramallah in the West Bank. |