Sources: Israel to free intifada architect

Marwan Barghouti

JERUSALEM – Israel has agreed to release confessed intifada architect and terrorist group founder Marwan Barghouti as part of a larger prisoner exchange with the Hamas terrorist organization, WND has learned.

Sources in Hamas, the Egyptian government and the Barghouti family all told WND today they were informed Israel will release Barghouti if there is a larger prisoner exchange with Hamas that would bring home kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held captive since June 2006.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, would neither confirm nor deny the report.

"We'd like to have Gilad Shalit back home, and we're making serious efforts," he told WND.

A separate source in Olmert's office confirmed Barghouti has been accepted as part of a prisoner exchange with Hamas.

Barghouti, serving multiple life terms for killing and planning the murders of scores of Israeli civilians, successfully ran in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, stressing as part of his election platform his efforts in planning the intifada.

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He is a founder of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the so-called military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction. The Brigades is responsible for scores of deadly shootings and rocket attacks, and, together with the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, for every suicide bombing in Israel since 2005.

Barghouti has widespread support in the Palestinian street and with many members of Fatah. Although Hamas is at odds with Fatah, the Islamist group has publicly included Barghouti among the top of its list of prisoners it wants released for Shalit, likely so Hamas can be seen as the dealmaker.

Informed Israeli diplomatic sources told WND that if a larger deal is struck for Shalit, the Jewish state is considering announcing the release of Barghouti as a declared gesture to Abbas to bolster Fatah alongside a larger prisoner exchange with Hamas that is sure to legitimize the terrorist group.

Earlier today, Israel's Haaretz newspaper quoted sources close to indirect Israel-Hamas negotiations regarding Shalit as saying a deal for the abducted Israeli soldier's release could be reached in the next 24 hours.

Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin and Ofer Dekel, Olmert's chief negotiator on the Shalit talks, extended their stay in Egypt to conclude a deal for Shalit.

Israel's Knesset is set to begin forming a new coalition tomorrow to pave the way for Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu to take office. Olmert is keen to conclude a deal with Hamas for Shalit before he leaves office – which could be within the next few days. According to sources in Hamas, Olmert's negotiators have been passing messages to the Islamist group claiming Hamas will not get a better deal for Shalit under Netanyahu.

Israel is expected to release hundreds of prisoners in an exchange deal with Hamas.

Knesset Member Rafi Eitan, known to be close to Olmert, told the Israeli media earlier today a deal with Shalit is likely to be concluded.

"It is possible to assume that Olmert's emissaries in Cairo will return to Israel with a deal for Shalit's return," said Eitan, speaking on Army Radio

"I assume that the results will be positive. If an agreement is brought for Cabinet approval, I have no doubt that it will vote in favor," Eitan said.

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