Israeli army reservists pressure Barak to resume prisoners' swap negotiations

[ 19/05/2009 - 09:17 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli army reservists have called on war minister Ehud Barak to revive the issue of Gilad Shalit, who has been captured by Palestinian resistance factions more than three years ago and held in Gaza.

Hebrew media quoted army sources as saying that a meeting was held on Monday between Barak and a number of those soldiers and officers who handed him a memo asking the government to resume contacts aimed at freeing Shalit.

The reservists stressed that efforts should be resumed to conclude the prisoners' exchange deal.

Barak, for his part, said that the former government failed in finding a solution to the issue of the captured soldier and that he shoulders the responsibility in his capacity as army minister.

A number of those reservists had demonstrated in front of Barak's home last month asking the government to go ahead in the exchange deal.

The Hebrew media noted that the issue of Shalit had topped the questions discussed during Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak a few days ago in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Meanwhile, Barak retracted his permission to the national union party to organize a march in Al-Khalil city, citing security concerns after the inhabitants of Al-Khalil said they would stand up to the marchers.