Israeli official: "I am ready to meet with Hamas over talks regarding Prisoners deal."

Monday March 31, 2008 15:28 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

The President of the Israeli right wing Shass movement and the Minister of the Israeli security cabinet, Eli Yishai, told Israeli army radio on Monday that he is willing to hold direct talks with the Hamas movement regarding a possible prisoner deal.

Gilad Shalit - File 2006

The Israeli official slammed the Israeli government for not doing enough in the talks over prisoner exchange deals with Hamas. The German government has been mediating a prisoners deal between Hamas and Israel for the last year, which will include the Israeli release of a number of Palestinian political prisoners in return for Hamas releasing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was abducted by Palestinian resistance during an action targeting an Israeli military post on the Gaza-Israel borders in June 2006. Hamas was among three groups claiming responsibility for the attack. Yishai told the army radio that he is willing to hold talks with Hamas officials in Cairo or Europe if necessary, he said that there is nothing more important than to return the captured soldier to Israel. The Israeli official also said that Israel should hold talks with Hezbollah to free two other abducted soldiers held by the Lebanese resistance group for the last two years. Hezbollah abducted the two Israeli soldiers in June of 2006 during a successful resistance operation on the Lebanese borders with Israel. Israel responded by conducting a month long war on Lebanon, which ended without the release of the two soldiers. Yishai's statement came in response to comments made by Khaled Mashal, the head of the Hamas political office in the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday when he said that Shalit is alive and that Hamas is treating him well.

israel | diplomacy | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org