Aviva Shalit: You can't put a price on a child's life

This is the third time Gilad Shalit's family and friends have gathered at his home in Mitzpe Hila to mark another birthday – his 22nd - without him. Shalit was abducted in a cross-border raid on June 2006 and is

being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A corresponding demonstration was held in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, and protestors called on the government to increase efforts towards securing Shalit's release.

Gilad father, Noam Shalit, spoke with Ynet ahead of the rally.

The despair and pain I feel, he said, stem not only from the grim milestone marked by Gilad's third birthday in captivity, but also from the paralysis that seems to have overtaken the negotiations.

"It's as if no one cares. Hamas is interested in establishing its rule in Gaza, Olmert is busy with other things, and the bottom line is that right now no one is doing anything to bring Gilad home," Shalit said.

Noam and Aviva Shalit with Karnit Goldwasser (Photo: Shai Vaaknin)

"Olmert promised us that it will end well, he said that was his job. It happened on his watch and it should end on his watch," stresses the senior Shalit. He declined to expand on any developments in the French-

mediated negotiations (Shalit is a French citizen).

I hope the echoes of this event reach Gilad, he said. "Maybe he will finally get to see a little something from the home he hasn't seen in 26 months."

Aviva Shalit: Gilad doesn't deserve this

Gilad's mother Aviva addressed the crowd of hundreds that assembled outside the family's home. In an emotional and powerful speech she called on the government to bring her son home.

"Today is Gilad's 22nd birthday. Gilad my beloved and darling son, who is so far away from me. Gilad turned 22 today. Another birthday in Hamas captivity. In the dark, in total isolation, surrounded by four dank walls and not even a single window. A third year in the hands of evil men who not know of even the most basic of human rights.

"I didn't bake a cake today, I didn't blow up balloons to hang in his room, I didn't wreath flowers or buy a present. I didn't even ask myself what Gilad would want for his birthday, and when I would surprise him with the gift. But I wrote – I don't know if it's a card, maybe it's a prayer – and asked only for one thing: Giladi, be strong, as you know how to be, and don't break. Always think that we are with you, and for you, and we will get you out of there. We, mom and dad, the family, your many friends and the many many citizens throughout this country that rally for you and feel that it is time to take action.

Before the rally in Mitzpe Hila (Photo: Shai Vaaknin)

"After 800 days, and 800 long nights in that prison, in that nightmare that you don't deserve. You don't deserve a third year in that horrible captivity. We, the family and this wonderful people that continues to support you and come together for you, will work tirelessly until you are freed. In spite of, and regardless of the politicians who, I'm afraid, are busy with their own agendas and personal affairs and not your release."

"I say again on this day, on your birthday, here outside our home in Hila: You can't put a price tag on a child's life. A child we bore and raised and educated here in Israel, who we taught to love the country, to serve it, who we sent to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces for mandatory service because of those same values that we were raised on and for. There is no price tag on the life of a soldier sent in the service of his country and who was captured in the line of duty."

And to the decision-makers, to the politicians, I say today: Those who wanted to avoid paying a 'heavy' price for a captive IDF soldier, or who wanted to lower that price – you had all the time in the world, over two years, in which to do that. You had all the tools here and the world over at your disposal.

"But this is not a bargain for shares or real estate or options. This is son's life, a son of this nation, the life of an IDF soldier. And on this matter I choose to quote the words of the former IDF chief of staff, Shaul Mofaz – "A country that forsakes its soldiers, will one day be forsaken by those soldiers."

Few attend Tel Aviv event

Only 200 people took part in the demonstration opposite the Kirya military base in central Tel Aviv. In attendance was Benny Regev, Eldad's brother. "I'm not disappointed by the numbers, this is just the beginning," he told Ynet. "This is a message to the people walking by, and also to the man in there, to the minister of defense – it's time to get up and do

something."

But Uri Shetnik, one of the rally organizers, admitted he had expected a much larger crowd. "The response is a little disappointing, of course I would want to see people getting out of their armchairs to take action."

"I'm also interested in soccer and pop idol, but these things mask a sort of pain in everyone, an atmosphere of despondency, and no one knows what to do so no one does anything. The power is in our hands, people need to devote at least several minutes every day for Gilad," he said.

Shalit's former company commander, Captain Yoav Balaks-Boneh (res), was also in attendance.

"At first I couldn't believe that it would take so long to free Gilad," he told Ynet. "You can't put a price on a person's life. Our lives aren't for trading in some stock market, and our souls aren't linked to any index."

Balaks said the images of the left-wing activists who sailed to Gaza from Cyprus enraged him. "Don't they have any shame? They couldn't have asked (Hamas PM) Haniyeh about Gilad? When they were given those medals, I wonder – why didn't they ask to see Gilad. I was just furious to see those pictures."