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Shin Bet chief: Schalit swap 'is the best deal possible'

The prisoner swap approved by the cabinet to release Gilad Schalit "is the best deal possible," Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Yoram Cohen said Wednesday while noting that the release of 1,000 prisoners would likely increase Hamas's motivation to attack Israel and try to abduct more soldiers.
"If there had been a better deal or viable military operation we would have chosen it," Cohen told reporters during a briefing at Shin Bet headquarters.
"I think this is a tough and difficult deal but it is the best deal for Israel from a security perspective. It is not simple to release 280 murderers. Hamas will be strengthened by this and Fatah will likely be weakened and this might even increase motivation for more attacks and kidnappings," he added.