JERUSALEM: Nearly two-thirds of Israelis back a prisoner exchange deal which would see 1,000 Palestinians inmates released in order to free captured soldier Gilad Shalit, a poll showed on Tuesday.
The poll, conducted by the Rafi Smith Institute and published in Haaretz newspaper, asked respondents if they would back such a deal even if it meant the release of 450 prisoners with blood on their hands, with 63 percent in favour and 19 percent against.
Another 18 percent of the 600 respondents had no opinion.
The results showed an increase in support from an earlier survey conducted in February, in which 61 percent backed such a deal, while 25 were opposed, Haaretz said.
The poll was conducted on behalf of the campaign for the release of the captive soldier who has been held by Palestinian insurgents in Gaza for nearly five years. It did not give a margin of error.
Shalit was snatched on June 25, 2006 by three armed Palestinian groups, including the Islamist movement Hamas, and held at a secret location in Gaza, which since 2007 has been ruled by the Islamists.
Until now, they have not permitted visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Egyptian- and German-mediated talks to push through a swap deal stalled in autumn 2009, although three weeks ago a Cairo newspaper suggested a breakthrough in negotiations to free Shalit in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
But the report was denied by officials in Cairo and Gaza as well as by Israel, which on Saturday will mark the fifth anniversary of his capture.
The last confirmation of his well-being emerged in October 2009 when Hamas released a videotape of the young soldier calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do everything to free him.
