(JNS) A senior official in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office involved in the talks with Hamas on Wednesday, Feb. 19 said the removal of Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) head Ronen Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea as the leaders of the negotiating team led to the recent breakthroughs.
The statement, which was widely cited by Hebrew media, came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he had changed the makeup of the team leading the talks in Qatar and Egypt.
“The achievement of the agreement to release six of our living hostages in one fell swoop, alongside the return of four dead hostages tomorrow, is the result of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to change the composition of the negotiating team,” the source was cited as saying.
“The new team changed the dynamic and led negotiations instead of concessions,” the official added, hailing the recent achievements led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. “It also stopped the practice of regular and biased briefings against the prime minister and the political echelon, which only caused Hamas to entrench its position and add demands.”
Dermer will head the upcoming negotiations for the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, replacing Barnea, who led the current round, Israel’s Channel 12 News channel reported on Tuesday.
The Hebrew outlet reported earlier this month that Barnea would still engage with Qatari and Egyptian mediators under Dermer’s guidance.
On Monday, Kan News reported that Bar had been removed from the team. His former deputy is reportedly replacing him in the talks. Sources told the public broadcaster that he could join phase-two talks, however.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed on Tuesday that Jerusalem had decided to start talks on Phase 2 of the deal, which would see the remaining living hostages, both civilians and soldiers, released.
As part of the talks, set to begin later this week, the Israeli government will demand the complete disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations in Gaza, the minister stressed.
