Mashaal rules out freeing Shalit after Gaza strikes

By Hanan Awarekeh
 
Gaza, 2008 Jan 16, Al-Manar
 
Hamas politburo Chief Khaled Meshaal on Wednesday ruled out freeing an Israeli soldier captured by the Islamic resistance movement more than a year ago, after 19 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were martyred in fighting with Israeli occupation forces.
 
"After the Gaza massacre there will be no exchange for the soldier (Gilad) Shalit," Meshaal told a news conference in the Syrian capital after the deadliest day of violence in the territory for more than a year.

"This shedding of Palestinian blood will shorten the existence of Israel and will destroy it," Meshaal said. "No peace with the killers and no security for the criminals."
 
Meshaal also described the operations in Gaza as Israeli attempt to solve its internal crisis. "Lieberman has left the government and Shas is also considering doing so, and the Palestinians are paying the price," he said.

Referring to Israeli leaders, Meshaal continued: "If you think Palestinian blood is the way to gain popularity, this plan will fail and you will pay the price."
 
The son of senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahhar was among those martyred in Tuesday's Israeli aggression.

Meshaal charged that the eight-day Middle East tour by US President George W. Bush that ended on Wednesday "gave cover to this massacre."
 
Shalit was captured by resistance fighters from Hamas and two allied groups on June 25, 2006 from an army outpost on the Gaza border. Negotiations to free Shalit, mediated by Egypt, have repeatedly broken down and were further complicated after Hamas took control of Gaza in early June 2007, routing forces loyal to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
 
Meshaal on Wednesday also called on Abbas to halt the "absurd" peace talks with Israel in protest at Tuesday's Palestinian deaths in the Gaza Strip. "Every day you are humiliated (by the Israelis) and you emerge (from talks) empty-handed," he said.
 
"We have got to respond to the Israeli crimes, and we must act to stop the negotiations and return to a Palestinian unity government. The time has come for the Arab and Muslim world and its leaders to take a stance supporting a return to talks," the Hamas leader continued. "The Arab and Muslim world have the power to break the siege on the Gaza Strip. The situation demands a Palestinian-Arab-Muslim decision, and the world will follow suit."