Egypt Tells Hamas: Release Shalit or Rafah Border Stays Closed

By Amihai Zippor ([ISRAEL] IHC News Analysis, 19 August 2008) Egypt warned Hamas that until it makes progress towards freeing abducted IDF solder Gilad Shalit, the Rafah border crossing, Gaza’s main terminal to the outside world, will remain closed. The message was presented to Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman who said Hamas must abide by all its commitments to the Gaza cease-fire, which included advancing Shalit’s release. From the context of Egypt’s warning it appears Hamas is once again the party holding up a prisoner exchange. Last week similar reports prompted a critical response from Hamas saying such demands were “completely unacceptable.” In an interview with The Jerusalem Post a Hamas official claimed [PA President] Mahmoud Abbas is “exerting heavy... [read full story]