'Hamas armed wing rejects 1,000-prisoner Schalit deal'

German gov't sources say Hamas' political wing approved deal, Izzadin Kassam Brigades vetoed; Merkel, Sarkozy urge progress on Schalit.

German Chancellor Merkel and French President Sarkozy 311 (R (photo credit: REUTERS)
German Chancellor Merkel and French President Sarkozy 311 (R
(photo credit: REUTERS)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday called for the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.
Merkel, speaking at a joint appearance with the French president called Schalit's release "a very important matter," ahead of the fifth anniversary of the IDF soldier's kidnapping by Hamas terrorists.
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According to German government sources, there is a deal on the table in which Israel would release approximately 1,000 prisoners in exchange for Schalit. The deal was rejected by Hamas' armed wing, the Izzadin Kassam Brigades, despite approval by the groups political wing, according to German officials.
For France, the Schalit case is particularly sensitive because the captive soldier holds dual Israeli-French citizenship. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met with Schalit's parents, Noam and Aviva in Jerusalem during a visit to Jerusalem earlier this month.
Germany has mediated attempts to reach a deal between Hamas and Israel for several years.
French law is applicable to anyone who is a French citizen, even if the criminal act against him occurred outside of France, explained an attorney for the Schalit family in Israel, Nick Kaufman.
JPost.com staff, Tovah Lazaroff and Ron Friedman contributed to this report