Berlin 22-12-2009
An agreement being brokered by German officials – between the Palestinian Hamas and Israel – seems to be closer than ever before. This amid a flurry of activity and movement in a usually stolid and perpetually slow prisoner swap process.
Both sides are using the good offices of the German state to seek some kind of resolution to this very basic and yet up till now impassable problem. The high expectations, along with leaks and conjecture are rife for families in Israel and Gaza about the fate of the one Israeli prisoner – and about 10, 000 jailed Palestinians prisoners.
Palestinian sources have said that German mediators are expected to meet senior Hamas officials Gaza Strip this evening to discuss the exchange of Gilad Shalit the Isreali soldier captured 3 years ago in exchange for about 1000 Palestinian prisoners.
Undisclosed Arab sources close to the negotiations have said that the German mediator, Ernst Uhrlau, has asked Israel to reconsider its recent objections so that an agreement could finally be reached.
Israel has already indicated earlier that it was willing to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit’s freedom.
Tags: german mediator, prisoner exchange
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