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Gaza City: Gaza's ruling Hamas group on Monday said it would stick to its tough line in talks over a captured Israeli soldier, saying it was emboldened by Israel's decision to release a Lebanese prisoner convicted in a brutal attack for the bodies of two Israeli servicemen held in Lebanon.
Israel has balked at Hamas' demands for a large-scale release of Palestinian prisoners, including many convicted in deadly attacks.
But the group said there was no reason to soften its demands in light of the heavy price that Israel agreed to pay in its deal with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Under the deal with Hezbollah, Israel agreed Sunday to release Samir Kantar, a Lebanese man serving multiple life sentences in prison for a deadly 1979 infiltration attack.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Knesset on Monday approved with a majority vote, a bill that requires conducting a referendum before any Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, Al Jazeera news TV station has reported.
The move comes in the wake of the indirect peace negotiations between Israel and Syrian on the Golan Heights through a Turkish mediator.
The move was rejected by many Israelis who oppose to the withdrawal.
The Golan Heights was occupied by Israel during the 1967 war, and is considered of strategic military importance as it overlooks Israeli villages and cities in the north.
Earlier, it was reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had secretly sent messages to President Bashar Al Assad, offering a full withdrawal from the Golan in exchange for full peace.
In Gaza, Hamas strongman Mahmoud Zahar said his group would take advantage of Israel's decision in separate negotiations over the captive soldier held by his group.
In a radio interview, he said Hamas would work "to release people Israel accused of having blood on their hands like Samir Kantar. We have to take advantage of this to release our prisoners." Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev would not comment on Zahar's remarks.
Hamas-affiliated fighters in the Gaza Strip captured the soldier, Sgt Gilad Schalit, two years ago in a cross-border raid.
Weeks later, Hezbollah fighters burst across Israel's northern border and seized two other soldiers, touching off a month-long war.
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