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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1062699.html
Prisoner Exchange with Hamas Could Bring Down Abbas
[Ha'aretz] Avi Issacharoff - Senior PA and Fatah officials say an agreement to free abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit bodes ill for Mahmoud Abbas. Such a deal would free all the Hamas representatives now sitting in Israeli prisons. Hamas has a large majority in the parliament, which could meet and call for new elections. After securing a prisoner exchange deal and a "victory" against Israel in Gaza, Hamas would expect increased support. Arab papers have mentioned Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti as one of the prisoners who could be freed in the Shalit deal. However, even though Barghouti enjoys wide support among the Palestinian public, he would have a difficult time lashing out against Hamas, which secured his release. In new elections, Hamas could win the Palestinian presidential election, too. Israel would then be forced to deal with a Hamas-controlled PA in both the West Bank and Gaza.