"More and more top Israeli officials" favour releasing Al-Barghuthi - paper

Text of report by web version of Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv on 23 July

[Report by Ben Kaspit: "The Goal: Hamas-Bypass Release"]

More and more top Israeli officials are calling for the release of Marwan al-Barghuthi from jail. It should be emphasized that no such decision has yet been made, but the issue has been coming up more frequently.

Several discussions have recently been made on the subject and many people who had previously expressed firm opposition to such a move are now expressing support for it, or have significantly toned down their objection. It should again be emphasized: There is no decision as yet to free Al-Barghuthi and, in Ehud Olmert's current situation, it is hardly likely that such a decision would be made. The main reason for his possible release would be the fact that he appears on the list of Hamas demands in connection with the deal to free Gilad Shalit.

Speaking at the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee yesterday, Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin confirmed the report that Hamas demands Al-Barghuthi's release within the framework of the Shalit deal. An Arab paper reported yesterday that Israel had agreed to free Al-Barghuthi in the Shalit deal but objects to freeing Ahmad Sa'adat, the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Jerusalem denies this report outright. According to intelligence sources, Khalid Mish'al, the strong man in Hamas, has recently declared that "there would be no deal for the release of Shalit without the release of Al-Barghuthi." According to Israeli intelligence sources, the release of Marwan al-Barghuthi, who is currently the most popular man on the Palestinian street, at Hamas's behest would constitute the death blow to the PNA, an official death certificate for Abu-Mazin [Mahmud Abbas], and a dramatic boost to Hamas in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] as well.

Under the circumstances, many sources in Israel say, it would be right to free Al-Barghuthi for Abu-Mazin as a special gesture even before the Shalit deal so as to strengthen the PNA and the moderates.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has recently announced that he would soon release a number of Palestinian prisoners as a special gesture towards the PNA. Ma'ariv has learnt that this would include also prisoners with blood on their hands from the "pre-Oslo accords" period, individuals who were involved in terrorism before the agreements between Israel and the Palestinians were signed.

If the intention to free Al-Barghuthi matures and becomes a resolution, it might be appended to the above-mentioned prisoner release as a special package for Abu-Mazin towards the end of this US Administration's term and as part of the Israeli-Palestinian "document of achievements" that will sum up everything that has been accomplished in the bilateral negotiations before 2009.

Several ministers and senior public figures have been supporting the release of Al-Barghuthi for some time. That group is led by MK Hayim Oron, who has been maintaining ongoing contacts with him in prison. Ministers Binyamin Ben-Eli'ezer and Gid'on Ezra, Deputy Minister Matan Vilna'i, and a large number of other personalities support this move. On the other hand, its strong opponents include Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, the Shin Bet, and defence elements.

Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin said during the debate yesterday that releasing Al-Barghuthi at Hamas's behest would be disastrous and cause Israel great harm. He said that Al-Barghuthi does not enjoy any special status among the Palestinians and that the myth about his power and popularity on the Palestinian street is fallacious. Some participants in the discussion took Diskin's remark to indicate a less adamant stance than before. The opinion of the prime minister and the defence minister was vague. In closed conversations, Olmert has been expressing support for Al-Barghuthi's release under certain circumstances, whereas Baraq, on the other hand, believes that his detention was unnecessary. However, his position regarding Al-Barghuthi's release now remains unclear.

Source: NRG Ma'ariv website, Tel Aviv, in Hebrew 23 Jul 08