Shalit: Olmert has failed
Photo: AP
'Olmert, don't leave Gilad to the next PM'
Gilad Shalit's father accuses prime minister of failing to bring his son home from Gaza. 'Who would have believed that Israel, with all it has at its disposal, is incapable of freeing kidnapped soldier for nearly three years now,' he says
Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, said Tuesday during a Sderot conference for society that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has failed because he has not been able to release his son from captivity in Gaza.
"Gilad is being held by Hamas in an isolated dark pit, for 900 days and nights now he hasn't seen daylight. Who would have believed that Israel, with all it has at its disposal, is incapable of freeing an IDF soldier kidnapped to Gaza for nearly three years now," he said.
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Addressing Olmert personally he said, "You didn't do it – I guess you failed. I ask you to do what you haven't done for the past two and a half years, to stop hesitating and make a decision that negates that of the advisors and generals who whisper in your ear; don't leave this issue for your successor."
Shalit added, "This period is a window of opportunity that may not return. You can prevent a second Ron Arad affair, on which your name will most definitely appear."
Shalit related the issue of evasion of the draft to that of his son's captivity and said, "Youths see the evasion phenomenon increasing, and also that combat soldiers don't always return home if an accident takes place."
