Mashaal: Netanyahu to Blame

Hamas politburo leader Khaled Mashaal said on Monday that efforts to exchange detainees with the Israeli enemy had stalled and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to blame.

During an interview with France 24 television, Mashaal held Netanyahu responsible for the delay in the release of Israeli prisoner Gilad Schalit. “We hope negotiations will start again and I hope Netanyahu will not force us to kidnap other Israeli soldiers,” he said.

“If the only way to release our prisoners is the imprisonment of more Israeli soldiers then Israeli authorities and Netanyahu will have to bear the consequences of not having released our Palestinian prisoners,” said Meshaal.