Shalit: Hamas blames Olmert

2006-10-12 22:47

Cairo - The exiled political supremo of the Palestinian movement Hamas accused Israel of refusing to free Arab prisoners in exchange for the release of a captured soldier, according to remarks published on Thursday.

"The idea is to free (Israeli soldier Gilad) Shalit and that Israel would then release detainees in a political context," Khaled Meshaal said in an interview with the pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper.

Meshaal said Hamas wants the release of 1 000 detainees including women and children and that Israel had "refused the principle of a exchange".

The Hamas leader, who lives in exile in Syria, also accused Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of "hindering the agreement".

Shalit was captured on June 25 by three groups of Palestinian militants, including Hamas, during a cross-border raid between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

The captors have demanded that Israel free Arab prisoners in exchange for his return.

Shalit's seizure sparked a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, and was followed in July by the separate capture of two more Israeli soldiers by Lebanese Hezbollah militants.

Israeli officials have vowed that Meshaal is a marked man for allegedly ordering Shalit's capture.

- AFP