Israeli troops gather at Gaza borders as Palestinians try to find hostage

Israeli forces continue to mass on the borders of Gaza as Olmert continues to threaten to storm the place in the hope of finding Gilad Shalit, the 19 year old soldier who has been taken prisoner.

Of course, as long as there is any chance of the young Israeli being returned alive then Olmert will do nothing. Can do nothing. Must do nothing.

In Gaza, the militant groups believed to be holding Shalit, continued to make demands that no-one can seriously believe will ever be met by the Israelis. The release of all female prisoners and of all persons held by Israel who are under the age of 18.

Israel, as always in these kinds of situations, seeks to proportion blame towards anyone that they may in future be asked to negotiate with, so as to render the chances of those negotiations ever taking place as less likely.

In this case, they have chosen to blame President Abbas.

Israel insists that it holds Mr Abbas personally responsible for the hostage's safety. But Dan Gillerman, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, said that if Mr Abbas is able to secure the corporal's release that could help to rebuild Israeli confidence in the Palestinian leadership.

"Mr Abbas is the president of the Palestinian Authority. This soldier was kidnapped by the Palestinian Authority, into the Palestinian Authority. This is the time for the president of the Palestinian Authority to prove that he does indeed have authority and capability that come with the job and the title he holds," he said.

"If this matter is resolved peacefully maybe this could be the beginning of negotiations and trying to reach an understanding with the Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas. If it is not, it is just another proof that there is no partner on the other side."

Israel has for the last forty years been anxious to prove to the US that there is no partner for negotiations on the other side. And now that Hamas are said to be on the verge of recognising Israel, the need to dismiss all possible future negotiating partners has never been more keenly felt.

But to blame Abbas for the dreadful kidnapping of an Israeli soldier is like blaming Clinton for the actions of Timothy McVeigh. It's simply nonsensical rubbish.

I sincerely hope that this young man is returned soon and unharmed. However, both the US and Israel have played a dreadful role in this breakdown of the political process.

Yehiyeh Musa, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was once an enthusiastic advocate of the transformation of Hamas from guerrilla army to political force. Now he feels that the Hamas entry into politics has been destroyed by Europe and the United States.

"The government [Hamas] can go to hell. Europe boycotts us and the United States are against our democracy. The Palestinians are in a big jail and the Israelis have the key," he said. "We have no use for prime ministers or anything like that. The reality is that we are under occupation. We would end the occupation by negotiations but the occupier has no interest in that. The only path is resistance."

One has to wonder whether the Palestinian militant groups would be indulging in this kind of action if Israel and the US had recognised the democratically elected government of Hamas.

There is no point in our arguing that militant groups should dismiss the bullet in favour of the ballot box if, when they do so, we simply refuse to acknowledge the transition.

For that is exactly what the US and Israel, with the shameful help of the EU, have done in this case.

The transition of Hamas from a resistance movement to a political party has not been rewarded. Indeed, it has been punished with attempts to starve the Palestinians into submission for daring to elect them.

I sincerely hope that the Palestinian factions who are holding this young man will hand him over unharmed. However, if they do so, Israel will immediately drop the promise that this may be the beginning of negotiations.

And therein lies the problem. Israel and the US condemn extremism but offer no tangible reward for it's abandonment.

I'll leave the last word on this to Gilad Shalit's father:

Gilad Shalit, the "quiet young man who has dual French-Israeli citizenship, excelled in physics at school and chose to do his military service in a combat unit. Noam Shalit, his French-born father yesterday issued a call on Army Radio to his kidnappers, asking that they " remember that he's a human being."

He added: "We want to hear a sign of life. We believe that those who are holding him also have families and children, and that they know what we are feeling."

Addressing his son directly in the same broadcast, he added: "Try to survive the difficult moments. We love you, and are waiting for you to come back home."

I sincerely hope that Mr Shalit is reunited with his son. And I also hope that, if this happens, the US and Israel will stop ignoring the democratic choice the people of Palestine have made and begin to negotiate with their democratically elected representatives.

If we show no tangible reward for embracing democracy, then we encourage this kind of chaos.

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Tags: Gilad Shalit, kidnap, Israel, Palestine, Hamas, Kadina, Olmert, Abbas,