"The cabinet's decision specifically mentioned that a ceasefire agreement would include Gilad (Shalit's) release," the kidnapped IDF soldier's father told Channel 2 Wednesday evening amid statements by senior Hamas
figures according to which Israel's truce with armed groups in Gaza, which is expected to go into effect Thursday at 6 am, will not involve his son's release.
| PM's Statement |
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| Olmert: Shalit included in ceasefire agreement / Raanan Ben-Zur |
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A few hours before truce with terror organizations takes hold, PM warns: Hamas bloodthirsty terrorists with whom negotiations cannot be conducted; IDF has instructions to be prepared for necessary action. Also clarifies kidnapped soldier part of deal |
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"Until this moment we have received no official information. We are concerned that the opening of border crossings will cause Israel to lose the only leverage it has on the issue of Gilad's release," Noam Shalit said during the interview, adding "the prime minister (Ehud Olmert) promised that the issue of Gilad would be part of the ceasefire agreement."
Noam Shalit threatened to petition the High Court of Justice on the matter. Asked whether he believed the government abandoned his son, he said "Yes, of course."
"We've learned our lesson from the Ron Arad tragedy, and we are trying to prevent it from repeating itself," he said.
Olmert said just a few hours earlier that Gilad Shalit's release was 'inseparable from the agreement on the conditions of the ceasefire'.
A letter sent by the attorneys in charge of the Shalit family's case to the prime minister said, "The agreement, as it appears from the media – which endangers Gilad's life and the possibility of his release, and conflicts with a list of explicit commitments given to our clients by heads of State – is not only morally illegitimate, outrageous, and extremely unreasonable, but also unlawful."
Efrat Weiss contributed to the report
_a.jpg "Photo: Yaron Brener")
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