Israel fires lead negotiator on Gaza truce

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-23 20:38

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has fired his lead Gaza negotiator for publicly criticizing the Israeli leader's handling of the truce talks, Olmert's office said Monday, a move that threatens to set back the already troubled contacts.

In this March 10, 2005 file photo Chief of intelligence Omar Suleiman, right, of Egypt, talks to Amos Gilad, head of Israel's Defense Ministry political department, at the Red sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt. [Agencies]

The removal of Amos Gilad comes at a critical juncture. Olmert hopes to wind up a cease-fire deal and win the release of a captured Israeli soldier before his term ends, likely within a few weeks. His designated successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Israel halted its Gaza offensive too soon and must topple the territory's Islamic Hamas rulers.

Gilad objected to Olmert's demand that Palestinian militants free Sgt. Gilad Schalit before Israel signs an agreement cementing the shaky cease-fire that ended the military offensive in Gaza that killed some 1,300 Palestinians. Gilad, a veteran Defense Ministry official, made his opinions known in an interview last week with the Maariv newspaper.

"Due to the inappropriate public criticism leveled by Mr. Gilad, he cannot continue as the prime minister's envoy to any political negotiations," Olmert's office said in a statement. Aides said talks would not be affected by Gilad's firing.

Officials in Olmert's office said a longtime adviser to the prime minister, Shalom Turgeman, would replace Gilad on the truce talks. Defense officials said veteran negotiator Ofer Dekel, who brokered a recent prisoner swap deal with Lebanese militants, would handle efforts to free Schalit, who was snatched by Hamas-affiliated militants during a 2006 raid into Israel.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

Gilad had wanted to clinch a truce first, then strike a deal to swap Schalit for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners that Israel holds. But last week, Olmert abruptly announced that Israel will not reopen Gaza's long-blockaded borders, the main Israeli concession in any truce, until Schalit is freed.

There was no immediate reaction from Gilad or Egypt on Gilad's dismissal.

Hamas is desperate to reopen the borders, which were sealed after they seized power nearly two years ago, to start repairing the vast destruction from the Israeli onslaught. But it objects to linking the prisoner exchange to the truce negotiations.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Israel "never intended to reach any agreement or closure on a truce or a prisoner exchange."

Israel launched its Gaza offensive following years of Palestinian rocket attacks on its south. The sides declared separate cease-fires Jan. 18, but sporadic violence has persisted while Egypt works to broker a long-term truce.

A rocket struck Israel on Monday morning, but no injuries or damage was reported. Earlier, the Israeli military said two armed men fired across the Gaza-Israel border fence at an Israeli patrol, which called for air support. A helicopter launched missiles at a vehicle, the military said.

Palestinian security said two missiles hit the gunmen's jeep but no injuries were reported.