A senior Hamas leader said Tuesday that indirect talks with Israel on a prisoner exchange had collapsed and blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hardening Israeli terms. In negotiations for the release of a captive Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in exchange for about 1,000 jailed Palestinians, Israel was demanding that dozens of Palestinians who had been convicted of involvement in lethal attacks be deported upon their release, Mahmoud al-Zahar, left, told BBC World News. Mr. Netanyahu, asked about Mr. Zahar’s remarks, said: “If Hamas wants a deal, it will happen. If it doesn’t want a deal, it won’t happen.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/world/middleeast/03briefs-Hamas.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print

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