The next few hours are critical:
The ultimatum set by Palestinian militants holding kidnapped Israeli soldier in Gaza expired at six A.M. Tuesday morning, but there was no immediate word from his captors.
Militants holding Corporal Gilad Shalit demanded Israel release some 1,000 jailed Palestinians by daybreak but failed to say what measures they would if their demands were not met.
Israel has put the world on notice:
Israel will continue its ongoing military operation against Hamas as if there were no ultimatum, and has warned key international players that the military action will be escalated if Cpl. Gilad Shalit is killed, according to government officials.…One senior official in the Prime Minister’s Office said Monday that the IDF’s ongoing military operation will not be impacted by the ultimatum issued by Shalit’s captors on Monday – which Israel rejected – to begin releasing Palestinian prisoners by 6 a.m. Tuesday, or the captors would consider the Shalit “case to be closed.”
“If, God forbid, they should hurt the soldier, our operations will be far worse,” Justice Minister Haim Ramon told Channel 2. Interior Minister Roni Bar-On told Y-Net that “the kidnappers will pay a price they have not yet paid if they harm the soldier.”
Again the cable news networks are pretty much AWOL on this story. The events overnight (overnight in the U.S.) could have profound implications but a quick scan of the networks shows CNN discussing polygamy, MSNBC is pondering the question “Has the right ruined America?”, and FOX News is discussing student-teacher sex. Find a conservative polygamous teacher with an all student harem and you could dominate U.S. news coverage for months.
Update:
The dance continues:
Palestinian groups involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit said Tuesday that they will not kill the IDF corporal, despite the expiration of an ultimatum issued Monday. The ultimatum demanded that Israel release Palestinian prisoners by 6 a.m. Tuesday.“Some think that the groups who conducted the operation (kidnapped Shalit) can kill him, but our Islamic principles stipulate that prisoners should be respected,” Abu al-Muthana, spokesman for the Islamic Army told AFP.
This makes Israel’s position a bit more difficult. It will be harder to justify an all out offensive if the assumption is that Gilad is still alive. I think he still is.
I’m a bit more optimistic about Gilad’s chances after this revelation. And as much as I’d like to see Israel roll through Gaza and clean up I’d guess right now that both sides, especially the Palestinians, are looking for a way to end this and save face.
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July 4th, 2006 at 4:18 am
Soldier’s captors give Israel ultimatum
Three Palestinian militant groups that captured an Israeli soldier issued a statement Monday giving
July 4th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Kidnappers: We Will Not Kill Shalit
When the 6:00 a.m deadline set by Gilad Shalit’s captors passed, the terrorists vowed that talks with Israel concerning Shalit’s well-being were over: Discussion is closed, said Abu al-Muthana, spokesman for the Islamic Army in the Gaza Strip. Whethe…
July 5th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Israeli Cabinet OKs Deeper Gaza Incursion
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a deeper military incursion into the Gaza Strip Wednesday after Palestinian militants fired a rocket at a major Israeli city, an official at the meeting said.
Full Story here
I…