The Gilad Shalit Deal

Ismail Haniyeh cancels his Hajj

Evan Hill | November 25, 2009 3:01 PM | 0 | recommend (0) |   |      

The Jerusalem Post reports that Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip, has canceled his trip to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, raising hopes that a prisoner swap deal for captured Israel Defense Forces Corporal Gilad Shalit is going to happen soon.

Anticipation that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners might soon be released in a deal with Israel was so high in Gaza that Haniyeh had been asked to remain in the Gaza Strip to greet the prisoners, said a Hamas legislator in Gaza City.

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Categories: Israel & Palestine, Politics

Tags: Gaza, Gilad Shalit, Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, prisoner exchange

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What's happening with the Shalit deal?

Hosni Mubarak insists that Shalit is alive and well and coming home soon. And Hamas insists again that most members of Hamas -- let alone Mubarak -- have no idea what's happening with Shalit.

What's happening with the Shalit deal?, ctd.

Al-Jazeera tries to figure out why Hamas is being coy about Gilad Shalit's condition. The network suggests the public statements are a feint -- that there's real behind-the-scenes progress on freeing Shalit.

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Peace Processing

Fallout from Biden's visit: West Bank sealed off; proximity talks appear stalled

Gregg Carlstrom | March 12, 2010 8:56 AM | 0 | recommend (0)
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas greets U.S. vice president Joe Biden in Ramallah. (Photo: AFP)
As Joe Biden wraps up his Middle East tour, Palestinian officials say they're unwilling to move forward with proximity talks unless Israel cancels its new construction in East Jerusalem; and the Israeli Defense Forces have sealed off the West Bank for 48 hours, reportedly for security concerns. Several people were injured and arrested in fighting at the Al-Aqsa mosque this morning.

Peace Processing

Biden arrives in Israel amid serious Palestinian doubts

Gregg Carlstrom | March 9, 2010 4:56 AM | 1 | recommend (0)
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife arrived in Israel on Monday.
As Joe Biden lands in Israel, the Israeli government -- obviously keen to demonstrate that it's serious about restarting peace talks -- announced Monday that it will violate its West Bank settlement freeze and build 112 new homes in Beitar Illit, a settlement west of Bethlehem.

Iraqi Elections

Polls close in Iraq; media reports suggest strong turnout, relative calm

Gregg Carlstrom | March 7, 2010 9:27 AM | 0 | recommend (0)
An Iraqi man on a bicycle displays his ink-stained finger after voting in Baghdad on March 7, 2010. (Photo: AP)
A handful of insurgent attacks around the country killed two dozen people, but Iraqi security forces seemed generally confident; the vehicle ban in Baghdad, scheduled to last all day, was lifted before noon. Anecdotal reports suggest a strong turnout across the country.

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