'Major gap.' Noam Shalit
צילום: גיל יוחנן
Noam Shalit: Include Gilad in truce talks
Kidnapped soldier's father says his son's release must be discussed during negotiations on renewal of ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. 'On the holiday of light, Gilad is being held captive in the dark,' he adds
Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, said Tuesday that the issue of his son's release must be discussed during the negotiations to renew the ceasefire with Hamas.
"This is the third Hanukkah that Gilad is not with us; on the holiday of light he is being held in the dark," he told a conference held at the Herzliya's Interdisciplinary Center.
Shalit thanked those who attended the conference, titled "The Center embraces Gilad", and went on to assail Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "Unfortunately there is a major gap between the public's support and the actual steps the government is taking to secure Gilad's release," he said, "the result is that Gilad remains in captivity two and a half years after he was kidnapped.
"We are hoping for a miracle; for something to happen that will bring about his release, if not during Hanukkah - then shortly thereafter," Noam Shalit said.
"All that is left for me to do is call on the prime minister to work toward ending this sad affair at least by the upcoming elections (February 10)."
According to Shalit, talks on the renewal of the truce between Israel and Hamas should include negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal with the Islamist group, "as opposed to the previous ceasefire, in which Gilad's case didn't get enough exposure. Hamas got pretty much what it wanted, but the issue of Gilad's release was brushed aside. I hope thing will be different this time around."
Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian terrorists during a raid on an IDF base near Gaza 912 days ago.
