By Jack Khoury, Haaretz, Haaretz – 7 Jan 2010
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141064.html
Israeli Arab MK Taleb Al-Sana (Ra’am-Ta’al) met Thursday with the Fatah strongman and former Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti, currently jailed in Israel for masterminding dozens of terror operations against Israeli targets since the outbreak of the intifada.
Barghouti, who was included in a recent draft of a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, which would see captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, told Al-Sana that after 15-years of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians there is no more time to ruminate and a brave decision must be made.
“The foundation for peace is the end of Israel’s occupation and the creation of a separate and independent Palestinian state,” Barghouti said.
Barghouti also addressed the tension between the rival Palestinian parties – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party, and the rulers of the Gaza Strip Hamas – and said that this year should be the year of reconciliation between the Palestinian people.
The two also discussed the prisoner swap deal, however Al-Sana would not comment on the matter.
Last month Barghouti said in an interview with Al-Kuds that his release form Israeli prison was a “national interest of all Palestinians,” and added that he hopes the deal will be finalized as soon as possible so that he could return home.
Barghouti seemed confident that he would be among the prisoners released if the prisoner swap is carried out.
