(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this afternoon (Saturday), 14 March 2009, dispatched Israel Security Agency Director Yuval Diskin and his special envoy Ofer Dekel to Egypt in order to make an additional effort in exhausting the possibility of bringing about the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit.
ISA Director Diskin and envoy Dekel will meet senior Egyptian officials who are mediating on the issue of Gilad Shalit's release and will consider whether or not it is possible to advance the release. The two men will remain in Egypt until tomorrow evening (Sunday), 15 March 2009.
In any case, Prime Minister Olmert intends to convene a special Cabinet meeting on Monday morning, 16 March 2009, in order to brief the Cabinet on the contacts that have been held on the release of Gilad Shalit and to give a picture of the current situation, ahead of the establishment of the new government, apparently in the coming week.
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In light of the negotiations that are currently continuing in Cairo regarding the release of Gilad Shalit, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided a short while ago tonight (Sunday), to postpone - by 24 hours - the Cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning (Monday), 16 March 2009; ministers have been duly notified. It should be emphasized that as of yet, there is no sign that indicates a result in any particular direction in the negotiations.