Ramallah, November 26: The families of top Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday said they still do not know whether the names of their relatives are included on the list of prisoners slated to be released in the swap deal.
Moqbel Barghouthi, brother of jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi, said the family was exerting heavy pressure in a bid to find out whether their son will be freed as part of the deal.
Moqbel added that he hoped his bother would be home by next week. He added he wanted to see a “fair deal” that would also see imprisoned Palestinian women and children released.
Ablah Saadat, the wife of Ahmed Saadat, the secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who is jailed in Israel for his alleged role in the assassination of Israeli Minister Rehavam Zeevi, said that she has not received any information from an official source that her husband would be among the hundreds of Palestinain prisoners that might be released in exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
She told Arab News that her husband prefers that veteran prisoners and those sentenced for longer jail terms be released in his place if necessary. In addition, he would like to see sick prisoners, women and minors released before him.
Meanwhile, Hamas sources said that the next 24 hours would be critical in terms of the prisoner-exchange deal with Israel. The organization’s leaders, who left Cairo on Tuesday evening, are meeting in the offices of Hamas’ political bureau in Damascus to decide whether to accept Israel’s latest offer.
The sources added that some the organization’s leaders believe Hamas should insist on releasing every single prisoner on the list handed over to Israel, while others hold a more pragmatic approach and understand that not everything can be achieved in the negotiations.
Palestinian media reports said that the deal is being delayed over four names of top Palestinian prisoners, led by Ibrahim Hamed, who was arrested in 2006 for his involvement in deadly military attacks. Israel, according to some of the reports, is only willing to release him if he is deported outside the Palestinian territories.
The three other prisoners delaying the deal, according to the reports, are Abdullah Al-Barghouthi, Abbas Al-Sayed, and Saadat.
Meanwhile, Israeli Radio said that the Israeli government is waiting for Hamas’ response and attempting to lower expectations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised Tuesday that if and when a deal is finalized it would be brought to the government’s approval “and to a public discourse.” Ministers were expected to convene Wednesday for a pre-scheduled diplomatic-security cabinet meeting, where they may learn more about the deal’s outline and timetable.
The Shalit family members are continuing their battle to have their son released. Gilad’s father, Noam, met Wednesday with Ministers Yuval Steinitz of Likud and Uzi Landau of Yisrael Beiteinu in an attempt to change their minds and have them vote in favor of a possible deal. He will later try to gain the support of Israel’s chief rabbis as well.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces operating in West Bank cities on early Wednesday arrested 10 Palestinians, Palestinian security sources said.
——Agencies