Egypt is leading an unprecedented effort to bring about an agreement on a lull and a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas and the other Palestinian factions, London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Wednesday.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' scheduled visit to Cairo on Wednesday, and a visit to Israel by Egyptian Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman's assistant, General Muhammad Ibrahim, were said to be part of this effort.
According to the report, the Egyptians have recently intensified their pressure on Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Cairo is now offering Israel and Hamas a long-term lull in return to an Israeli commitment to lift the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, open the crossings according to a 2005 protocol, and allow the entry of construction material into the Strip.
As for a prisoner exchange deal which would secure the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, the newspaper reported that Egypt demands an end to the affair, but that the Netanyahu government reviewed Cairo's proposal and refused to release Palestinian prisoners rejected by the Olmert government.
At the same time, Cairo is pressuring both sides to relax their conditions in an attempt to bridge the gaps, and has even promised to release all the Hamas detainees in its jails. According to the report, the Egyptian move is basked by the United States and the European Union.
Breakthrough in talks?
Meanwhile, Hamas' representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, reported of a certain breakthrough in the prisoner exchange issue. Hamdan told the London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper that Egypt's talks with Israel had yet to bear fruit and that there was no progress due to Israel's refusal to accept Hamas' demands
Hamdan used the opportunity to deny the existence of talks between Israel and Turkey in regards to a prisoner swap, noting that Egypt was the only mediator. He also refused to link between a possible deal and the release of Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Dr. Aziz Duwaik from an Israeli jail on Tuesday, saying that "Duwaik was released due to a legal war. There is no connection between the two things."
A senior member of one of the organizations holding on to Shalit that the "great progress" made in the talks continues, but that it was impossible to determine whether the captive's release was near.
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