Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar has credited former President Jimmy Carter with a central role in brokering a deal between Israel and Hamas which saw 20 female Palestinian prisoners traded for a video of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit , Channel 10 reports.
Speaking to the London-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi, Zahar said that that it was Israel who asked the former U.S. president to take an active role in the negotiations between the sides.
In June 2007, an audio tape was received in which Gilad Shalit was heard reading a statement written for him by his captors. In February 2008, another letter was delivered which did not include any further details on his situation.
In April 2008, a letter from his parents was delivered to Gilad Shalit, with the help of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In June 2008, a third later from Gilad Shalit was delivered to Israel, also with Carter’s help.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
