_a.jpg)
'ew approach.' Shalit with Kerry
Noam Shalit to US: Gilad's return key to advancing peace process
Captive soldier's father holds series of meetings with senior American officials, including Pelosi, Kerry, says 'Obama administration formulating its Mideast policy – there is a window of opportunity'
WASHINGTON – "I conveyed a message to the Obama administration and Congress that the issue of Gilad's release is a 'bottleneck' that must be resolved in order to advance the Israeli-Palestinian (peace process)," Noam Shalit told Ynet following his meeting with special US Mideast envoy George Mitchell at the State Department.
Independence Day Address
Ronen Medzini
Speaking at Independence Day ceremony honoring past and president IDF commanders, PM says 'soldiers know we will spare no effort to bring them home safe and sound'
The kidnapped soldier's father held a series of meetings overnight Friday with senior US officials, and is scheduled to meet with head of the Mideast desk at the National Security Council, Dan Shapiro, later in the day.
"This (Obama) administration has a different approach, and it is currently formulating its policy toward the Middle East; this presents a window of opportunity," Shalit said.
"It was important to stress (to the US officials) that the issue of Gilad's release is the key to resolving other issues and deserves (the Americans') attention."
On Thursday Shalit met with David Meltzer, the senior vice president of international services for the American Red Cross to discuss Gilad's situation, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi promised the soldier's father that she was committed to advancing his son's release.
_wa.jpg)
Senator Kerry (L) and Noam Shalit
During an event marking Israel's 61st Independence Day on Wednesday, organized by the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Pelosi pulled out the symbolic dog tags of Gilad Shalit and of fallen Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, which she received two years ago in a meeting with Goldwasser's widow, Karnit.
The House speaker said she carried the tag dogs everywhere she goes and presents them to any foreign leader she meets, including Arab leaders.
During his visit Noam Shalit also met with John Kerry, chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, as well as with Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee. The two promised the captive's father that they would raise the issue of his son's release during future meetings with Mideast leaders.
Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian terrorists on June 25, 2006 during a cross-border raid on an IDF base near Gaza.
