Lieberman, Peretz denounce Palestinian threats to kill Shalit

[Behind the Aegis]

If anything happens to abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, "we will have to add Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siyam to the list of martyrs," new minister Avigdor Lieberman said at yesterday's cabinet meeting.

Lieberman was responding to Palestinian threats that the ongoing Israel Defense Forces operation in Beit Hanun was liable to lead to Shalit's death.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said the operation in Beit Hanun was being carried out for purely operational reasons, in order to fight terror, "and we will not accept any linkage between Shalit and this issue."

Meanwhile, Shalit's father, Noam, said yesterday that he has decided to maintain media silence over the next few days, as "chatter at this time will not advance the efforts" to arrange a prisoner exchange for his son, "especially in light of the great tension and the ongoing Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, and I do not want to respond to every statement or headline."


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