TEL AVIV, Israel, April 6 (UPI) -- Syria's president could secure the release of three kidnapped Israeli soldiers if he wants to do so, a former director of Israel's military intelligence said.
The source, retired Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi-Farkash, was commenting on a statement that U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly attributed to Syrian President Bashar Assad after their meeting in Damascus Wednesday. According to that report, Assad said he would try to help secure their release.
Hamas is holding Cpl. Gilad Shalit, kidnapped to the Gaza Strip last June, and Hezbollah abducted Israeli reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser to Lebanon last July.
Zeevi-Farkash told Israel Radio that Assad could get Hamas to release Shalit by threatening to kick that movement's political leader, Khaled Mishaal, out of Damascus.
Syria has been rearming Hezbollah and Assad could threaten to "close Syria's border with Lebanon so that even one rocket will not cross from Syria to Lebanon and you'll see the picture can change."
The Syrian leader cannot play this "double game" of backing the Hamas-led Palestinian government and at the same time claiming he will "make an effort" to secure the release of the soldiers, Zeevi-Farkash said.
