HAMAS TERRORIST LEADER KHALED MASHAAL REVERSES AND SAYS ISRAELI SOLDIER 'PRISONER OF WAR'
Randy L. Harrington
July 10, 2006
SYRIA—Khaled Mashaal in a public statement in Damascus on Monday reversed himself and admitted that Hamas had authority over the Palestinian Hamas Terrorists that kidnapped an Israeli Soldier on June 25.
Palestinian Hamas terrorists admitted to kidnapping Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25 from inside Israeli territory. Subsequent to the kidnapping the exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal claimed that he had no authority over the kidnappers. Israel maintained all along that Mashaal had authority over Palestinian Hamas Terrorists.
Our people...are united on the insistence to swap the captured soldier with prisoners in the jails of the Zionist enemy,” said Mashaal in a Syrian public statement.
Mashaal referred to the kidnapped Israeli solider as a “prisoner of war” despite the fact that when Shalit was kidnapped on June 25 he was taken from Israel territory, and Israel had ceased hostilities when it withdrew from the Gaza Strip almost a year earlier.
Hamas came to power in January when it won the majority of the political positions in the Palestinian Authority. The Hamas charter calls for the complete, and total destruction of Israel.
Hamas has accused Israel of trying to destroy the Palestinians as a state. Mashaal has blamed Israel for the collapse of the Egyptian, Qatari and European efforts to negotiate the crisis over the kidnapped Israeli soldier. “I do not exaggerate when I say that Olmert and his hostile policies are holding Gilad Shalit. He shoulders the responsibility for what is happening to him” Mashaal said.
The solution is simple: an exchange. But Israel refuses that. [the Israelis] are under an illusion” if they think that by escalating their Gaza offensive that they will win the soldier's release.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority alienated the west, and the European community when they declared their prosecution of a holy war of terror against Israel. They refer to Israel as “Zionist enemies” despite the fact that Israel left the Gaza Strip, and ceased military hostilities. Before the current crisis the west had imposed sanctions against the Palestinian Authority that had already taken its toll on the Palestinians.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has advanced his proposal for a cease fire.
The Palestinians support a cease fire deal that would include the release of Israels kidnapped soldier, in exchange for a release of Palestinian terrorists being held by Israel.
In addition any cease fire would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and an end to Israels targeted assassinations, and in return the Palestinians would agree to end the firing of rockets into Israel.
The Palestinians have complained that Israel doesn't even want to hear the proposal. Israels response is that it would not negotiate with terrorists.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said “We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government as a policy. We have a particular desire to stop terrorists inflicting terror on the Israeli people. Whoever is involved with terror will have to pay for it.”
Olmert won the Israeli election and became Prime Minister in March by committing to follow the Gaza pullout, and agreed to do so in the West Bank also. He said that no violence would stop the ninevitable process” of separating Israel from the Palestinians.
I haven't changed my basic commitment to the redeployment plan. I am absolutely prepared to carry of to ultimately separate from the Palestinians and establish secure borders that will ultimately be recognized by the international community and at the same (time) establish a territory where Palestinians can have their own independent state.”
Olmert has once again rejected swapping Palestinian terrorist prisoners for the kidnapped soldier, when asked about Mashaal's plan. Olmert replied “Mashaal is a terrorist with blood on his hands. He is not a legitimate partner for anything. Israel will not negotiate with Hamas.”
The Israeli offensive has already damaged an already paralyzed Palestinian economy, that deteriorated after Israel withheld tax revenue and restricted access to Palestinian territory in January when Hamas took control of the government. Western governments, and the European Union that provides about 60 percent of the Palestinian governments budget cut off funding after Hamas refused to renounce terrorism, and recognize Israel as a national sovereignty.
Palestinian Authority representatives last week said that the Palestinian government is not much of a government, and there has been talk of disbanding the Palestinian state and turning responsibility for the territory over to Israel. Israeli officials said last week that if the Palestinian Authority would renounce terrorism, recognize Israels sovereignty, and concentrate on building an infrastructure, and base that they would probably be a successful foreign state.
The Israeli offensive has two objectives. The first is to gain the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier. The second is to create a buffer zone in the Gaza territory that would prevent Palestinians from firing rockets into Israel. Israel has said that an end could be put to their offensive if Hamas Palestinians would release their kidnapped Israeli soldier, and would agree to stop firing rockets into Israel.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; REUTERS; IS. POST WIRE
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Palestinian Hamas terrorists admitted to kidnapping Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25 from inside Israeli territory. Subsequent to the kidnapping the exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal claimed that he had no authority over the kidnappers. Israel maintained all along that Mashaal had authority over Palestinian Hamas Terrorists.
Our people...are united on the insistence to swap the captured soldier with prisoners in the jails of the Zionist enemy,” said Mashaal in a Syrian public statement.
Mashaal referred to the kidnapped Israeli solider as a “prisoner of war” despite the fact that when Shalit was kidnapped on June 25 he was taken from Israel territory, and Israel had ceased hostilities when it withdrew from the Gaza Strip almost a year earlier.
Hamas came to power in January when it won the majority of the political positions in the Palestinian Authority. The Hamas charter calls for the complete, and total destruction of Israel.
Hamas has accused Israel of trying to destroy the Palestinians as a state. Mashaal has blamed Israel for the collapse of the Egyptian, Qatari and European efforts to negotiate the crisis over the kidnapped Israeli soldier. “I do not exaggerate when I say that Olmert and his hostile policies are holding Gilad Shalit. He shoulders the responsibility for what is happening to him” Mashaal said.
The solution is simple: an exchange. But Israel refuses that. [the Israelis] are under an illusion” if they think that by escalating their Gaza offensive that they will win the soldier's release.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority alienated the west, and the European community when they declared their prosecution of a holy war of terror against Israel. They refer to Israel as “Zionist enemies” despite the fact that Israel left the Gaza Strip, and ceased military hostilities. Before the current crisis the west had imposed sanctions against the Palestinian Authority that had already taken its toll on the Palestinians.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has advanced his proposal for a cease fire.
The Palestinians support a cease fire deal that would include the release of Israels kidnapped soldier, in exchange for a release of Palestinian terrorists being held by Israel.
In addition any cease fire would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and an end to Israels targeted assassinations, and in return the Palestinians would agree to end the firing of rockets into Israel.
The Palestinians have complained that Israel doesn't even want to hear the proposal. Israels response is that it would not negotiate with terrorists.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said “We have no particular desire to topple the Hamas government as a policy. We have a particular desire to stop terrorists inflicting terror on the Israeli people. Whoever is involved with terror will have to pay for it.”
Olmert won the Israeli election and became Prime Minister in March by committing to follow the Gaza pullout, and agreed to do so in the West Bank also. He said that no violence would stop the ninevitable process” of separating Israel from the Palestinians.
I haven't changed my basic commitment to the redeployment plan. I am absolutely prepared to carry of to ultimately separate from the Palestinians and establish secure borders that will ultimately be recognized by the international community and at the same (time) establish a territory where Palestinians can have their own independent state.”
Olmert has once again rejected swapping Palestinian terrorist prisoners for the kidnapped soldier, when asked about Mashaal's plan. Olmert replied “Mashaal is a terrorist with blood on his hands. He is not a legitimate partner for anything. Israel will not negotiate with Hamas.”
The Israeli offensive has already damaged an already paralyzed Palestinian economy, that deteriorated after Israel withheld tax revenue and restricted access to Palestinian territory in January when Hamas took control of the government. Western governments, and the European Union that provides about 60 percent of the Palestinian governments budget cut off funding after Hamas refused to renounce terrorism, and recognize Israel as a national sovereignty.
Palestinian Authority representatives last week said that the Palestinian government is not much of a government, and there has been talk of disbanding the Palestinian state and turning responsibility for the territory over to Israel. Israeli officials said last week that if the Palestinian Authority would renounce terrorism, recognize Israels sovereignty, and concentrate on building an infrastructure, and base that they would probably be a successful foreign state.
The Israeli offensive has two objectives. The first is to gain the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier. The second is to create a buffer zone in the Gaza territory that would prevent Palestinians from firing rockets into Israel. Israel has said that an end could be put to their offensive if Hamas Palestinians would release their kidnapped Israeli soldier, and would agree to stop firing rockets into Israel.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; REUTERS; IS. POST WIRE
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.