Sarkozy Proposes Using Syria and Qatar to Promote Shalit Deal

Via The Pulse, here

Or Shabi and Yonatan Gonen from Nana10.co.il:

The Palestinian Maan news agency reports this morning that in the course of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy last week, Sarkozy proposed using his connections in Syria and Qatar to accelerate the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.

It reported that Sarkozy said that France could ask the leadership of both these countries that they demand guarantees from Hamas for the well-being of Gilad Shalit or ask it to let the Red Cross visit him.

The news agency reported that Sarkozy told Netanyahu that in the course of Olmert's term as prime minister, he helped promote the subject by means of his ties to Syrian President Bashar Assad and to Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. It reported that both Arab leaders are in regular phone contact with Hamas Political Bureau Director Khaled Mashal in Damascus.

The report also said that Sarkozy told Netanyahu that Gilad Shalit's release was the "key to changing the situation in the Middle East." That said, Sarkozy stressed that Israel must also compromise and release prisoners, "otherwise, no agreement will be reached."