March 2009

In the middle of February, the Israeli Security Cabinet agreed unanimously that Hamas must free kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit before Israel will agree to another ceasefire, release any prisoners, or open Gaza crossings to commercial traffic.

The decision put the ball back into Hamas’ court. The Gaza-based terrorist group has insisted the soldier, who was kidnapped on June 25, 2006, will remain in captivity until Israel agrees to their terms for another truce. They are demanding hundreds—some say thousands—of terrorists in Israeli prisons, many responsible for Jewish deaths, as well as the opening of the border crossings into Gaza.

The Israeli government and Hamas, through Egyptian mediators, agreed last June to a ceasefire that was supposed to lead to Mr. Shalit’s release.

Hamas, however, immediately broke the truce with rocket and mortar shells fired at civilian targets in the Negev.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refused to retaliate until this past November when rockets reached increasingly closer to Tel Aviv.

For its part, last month, Hamas presented Israel with a new demand of its own, one of dozens twists and turns by the terrorists over the past two years. This latest demand, that the Jewish state help patrol the border with Egypt as a new condition for the freedom of Mr. Shalit, is the latest of dozens of twists and turns by the terrorist organization and the Olmert government over the past two and a half years.

Gaza-based Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef revealed the new demand to WorldNetDaily. Several hours earlier, Khaled Mashaal, the Syrian-based overall head of Hamas, contradicted reports that Gaza officials had agreed to a demand by outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that the soldier be freed before another ceasefire pact is announced.

Just after Mr. Shalit was kidnapped, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert told the Cabinet: "Everyone knows that capitulating to terrorism today means inviting the next act of terrorism. We will not do this."

Several days later, he told Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, "This is not a matter of negotiations. Release of prisoners is absolutely not on the agenda of the Israeli government.";