Hamas FM: IDF Gaza operations may endanger Shalit's life

Deputy Knesset Speaker Ahmed Tibi met Friday with Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar. (Tomer Appelbaum / BauBau)

November 4, 2006

By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas said Saturday that the Israel Defense Forces operations in the Gaza Strip are liable to endanger the life of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, as the military is likely to strike the building in which he is being held.

In an interview with an Egyptian news agency, Zahar said, "They are bombing certain places and will likely harm the soldier."

He said that if IDF troops try to break into the building where Shalit is located, "they are liable to lose the soldier, to absorb losses and lose more captives."

The Popular Resistance Committees militant group said in Gaza that the military operation jeopardized prospects for the safe release of Shalit, captured by Hamas-allied militants in June.

A spokesman for the group, using the alias Abu Abir, also said Israel would face a wave of suicide bombings if the offensive was not halted within two days.

Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List) met with Zahar of Hamas in Cairo on Friday.

The two discussed the status of relations between Hamas and Fatah, as well as ways to resolve to crisis in the Palestinian Authority.

"The best way to solve any internal Palestinian problem is dialogue and moving away from internal violence," said a summing up statement issued by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

Tibi and Zahar also discussed the addition of Yisrael Beiteinu to the coalition. According to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry statement, the addition is a "grave move" that will have consequences, calling Lieberman a "radical."

They also discussed the general political situation in Israel.

An official in Tibi's party confirmed the report of the meeting, the first of an Israeli lawmaker with a senior member of Hamas.

Security officials have rejected requests by Arab MKs to enter the Gaza Strip to meet with Hamas officials.

Earlier this week, Tibi met in Cairo with Farouk Kaddoumi, PLO's political department head. They discussed Israel's military operation in Gaza and called on the international community to intervene in order to end the operation.

Tibi also met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit who informed Tibi that Egypt is working to achieve a swift resolution to the issue of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, held captive in Gaza.