Occupied Jerusalem: In a move breaking government policy, an Israeli cabinet minister has offered to meet Hamas leader Khalid Mesha'al, his spokesman said on Friday.
Industry and Trade Minister Eli Yishai passed the proposal to former US president Jimmy Cater, who is planning to meet Mesha'al in Syria on Friday.
Yishai's spokesman, Roei Lachmanovich said the minister would ask Mesha'al for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who is being held in Gaza.
Yishai's initiative comes after Carter, who is in a Middle East peace trip, said that the United States and Israel should stop isolating Hamas if they want peace efforts to succeed.
"I know there are some officials in the Israeli government that are quite willing to meet with Hamas and maybe that will happen in the near future," Carter said in Cairo on Thursday where he met with a Hamas delegation.
"One of the reasons I wanted to come and meet with the Syrians and Hamas was to set an example that might be emulated by others," he said.
