BICOM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday named former senior Mossad official David Meidan as the Israeli representative to the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange talks with Hamas. The Prime Minister’s Office said that Meidan served as a section chief at the Mossad and has been involved in various operations, including efforts relating to Shalit. “The prime minister has instructed Meidan to pursue all available paths in order to return Gilad to his parents,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Former Israeli representative for the prisoner exchange talks, Hagai Hadas, resigned after two years of work which he conducted with Hamas via a German mediator. Meidan’s appointment was announced yesterday during a meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Gilad Shalit’s parents, Aviva and Noam.

Hamas is insisting that Israel release around 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, however Israel has refused to release some of the names on the list due to their direct involvement in past terrorist attacks in Israel. The Shalit family is expected to step up the public campaign calling for the release of Gilad. The family may decide to move their protest tent in front of the entrance to the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem. In addition, they will also hold their annual Passover Holiday meal in the protest tent, marking their fifth Passover without Gilad.