Incitement by Syria....

Even when the Israelis negotiate, they are blocked....

Negotiations over the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit have stalled because of the intervention of Syria, which is exerting pressure on the Hamas leadership not to accept proposals made by the Egyptian mediators for a prisoner swap with Israel, Palestinian Authority officials here told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

"Syria is playing a very negative role," said one official. "[Hamas leader] Khaled Mashaal, who is based in Damascus, is refusing to approve an Egyptian-brokered deal because the Syrians are inciting him."

Another senior PA official told the Post that the Syrians were clearly unhappy with the involvement of the Egyptian government in the negotiations.

"The Syrians believe that Egypt is representing the interests of Israel and the US in the region and that's why they are very suspicious of the Egyptian role," he explained. "Had it not been for the intervention of the Syrians, the Israeli soldier would have been released a long time ago."