[New York Times] Isabel Kershner - Israel's security cabinet voted Wednesday to make the opening of Israel's border crossings with Gaza conditional on the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized in a cross-border raid and taken into Gaza by Hamas and other militant groups in June 2006. Hamas is demanding the release of as many as 1,400 Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails in return for the captive soldier. Israel is also seeking an end to rocket and mortar fire by Palestinians in Gaza against population centers in southern Israel, and a halt to weapons smuggling by Hamas.
2009-02-19 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive