Netanyahu is "a drunk driver in the seat of government"; I have worked out a deal with Hamas that can work: Israeli hostage negotiator, Gershon Baskin, to Karan Thapar for The Wire.

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The man who is internationally acclaimed for securing the release of Israeli solider Gilad Schalit from Hamas custody in 2011 has described Prime Minister Netanyahu as “a drunk driver in the seat of government”. Gershon Baskin says Netanyahu’s belief that military pressure can defeat Hamas and secure the release of hostages is wrong and is likely to lead to the opposite outcome i.e. the killing of the hostages. As he put it: “Military pressure has killed and is killing hostages”.



In a 30minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Gershon Baskin, who is also the Middle East Director of the International Communities Organization, spelt out the details of a deal he has worked out with Hamas for the release of all 101 hostages, dead or alive, the end of the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the agreed release of Palestinian prisoners by name and number. Dr. Baskin says he has received a written message from an unnamed Hamas leader (on 3/9) which says: “We support your proposal” adding “all leaders” do. Dr. Baskin says that rather than take his word for it Israel should get Qatar and Egypt to clarify and verify with Hamas whether they have accepted this deal or not.



Speaking about the socalled Biden peace deal, a new and updated version of which could be announced in the very near future, Dr. Baskin called it “a bad plan (which) doesn’t end the war (and) doesn’t return all hostages.



I will stop there. I am only giving you the main broad important points made by Dr. Baskin. There’s an awful lot of detail in the interview which you must hear yourself.



Dr. Baskin speaks in detail about why the Biden plan is a bad plan. He explains why Netanyahu’s insistence that Israel must control the Philadelphi Corridor is an attempt to scupper the Biden plan but also unnecessary because, as he explains, Egypt has already effectively closed access to Gaza through the corridor.



Dr. Baskin speaks at length about why Netanyahu’s belief that military pressure can release the hostages is mistaken and wrong and dangerous.



Dr. Baskin gives extensive details of his own plan, his approaches to Qatar, Egypt and America to get them to seriously think about his plan and the response he’s got from Hamas. He also explains why, unlike what he’s done in the past, he’s gone public with the details of his plan.



You must see the interview for all of this.

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