Middle East News
Israeli premier expected in Egypt for talks over truce with Hamas
Jun 24, 2008, 6:46 GMT
Cairo - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected to hold talks Tuesday with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh over a proposed prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
In the talks coming five days after a truce between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Gaza Strip, Mubarak and Olmert were expected to discuss Cairo's mediation efforts to secure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized by militants in Gaza in a cross- border raid two years ago.
Shalit's release is expected to be part of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
A senior member of Hamas, Mussa Abu-Marzuk, told the pan-Aran daily al-Hayat that the prisoner swap deal was separate from agreed arrangements to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
The truce deal is tantamount to a real Israeli recognition - for the first time - of the legitimacy of Hamas and its control over Gaza, Abu-Marzuk said.
'The truce deal caused deep embarrassment to the Palestinian Authority and put it in an unsuitable position,' he said, referring to the administration of President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah organisation. The PA had failed to make any progress in talks with Israel, Abu-Marzuk said.
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LOLJun 24th, 2008 - 08:54:46
save the gas Israel...don't waste it on a worthless trip to egypt...everyone in the world knows that muslim can't keep their word and this cease-fire will be short lived and Israel only option left is total annihilation of Scum muslims from Gaza...and make that strip of land worthy of something..like a Pig Farm
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