ISRAELI PRESIDENT Shimon Peres visits the Czech Republic today with a message that the incoming government led by Binyamin Netanyahu will continue the peace process with the Palestinians.
The talks between President Peres and the leaders of the Czech Republic, which holds the current EU rotating presidency, follow comments over the weekend by Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg, that EU-Israel ties will “become very difficult” if Jerusalem backs away from the two-state solution pursued by the outgoing Ehud Olmert government.
Before departing, Mr Peres told Israeli radio that the new government, expected to be sworn in tomorrow, was bound by the decisions of the previous one. “There will be continuity and the continuation of peace negotiations.”
The president plans to present Czech government officials with the coalition agreement signed between Mr Netanyahu’s Likud and the Labour party as part of his efforts to allay European fears that the new coalition will not be able to break the deadlocked Middle East peace process.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in late December led to a freeze in discussions on upgrading bilateral ties. Jerusalem fears that Brussels will be reluctant to step up relations with the new government.
Outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert, addressing his final cabinet meeting yesterday, expressed the hope that the incoming government would continue the path of his administration. “I have no doubt that Binyamin Netanyahu’s new government will do its utmost in order to realise the state of Israel’s dream to live in peace and security,” he told his ministers.
The government decided to restrict the rights of Hamas security prisoners held in Israeli jails. Israel hopes the move will put pressure on the Islamic group to agree to a prisoner swap involving kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been in captivity in Gaza for more than a thousand days.
Family visits for Hamas detainees were reduced to the legal minimum, while radio and television privileges, as well as the opportunity to study while in prison, were revoked. Israel will still allow the prisoners visits from Red Cross officials even though Hamas has refused such visits for Cpl Shalit.
Justice minister Daniel Friedman said Israel must not radiate weakness. “Just because we’re the only democracy in the Middle East, doesn’t mean we have to be the only suckers,” he said.
Although contacts on a prisoner swap, via Egyptian mediators, broke down earlier this month, there was renewed speculation in the Arab media over the last few days that intensive contacts have resumed in an effort to clinch a deal before Mr Olmert leaves office.
Israeli envoys handling the contacts were expected in Cairo in the coming days and may be joined by Hamas representatives.
However, Israeli officials, noting that Hamas had failed to draw up a new list of prisoners to be released after Israel rejected the old list, doubted a last-minute deal could be reached before Mr Netanyahu took office.