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Gilad Shalit Negotiations Progress

If the end is in sight, it’s still on the distant horizon

by
Marc Tracy
January 06, 2010
Shalit, from a video allegedly filmed in September 2009.(AFP/Getty Images)
Shalit, from a video allegedly filmed in September 2009.(AFP/Getty Images)

What’s the latest on the biggest story in Israel (if not necessarily Israel’s biggest story)? Yesterday, the German mediator shuttled back into Gaza to convey Israel’s counteroffer to Hamas. While Israel has agreed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for its abducted soldier, it is still reportedly balking on a few high-profile individuals. It is also insisting on deporting many of these folks either to Gaza or overseas, which Hamas objects to. The likely next step will see Hamas refusing the exact counteroffer but not shutting off talks altogether.

To end this post the way they might in an Israeli publication: Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and then taken into Gaza 1,291 days ago.

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.