Noam Shalit
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Richard Goldstone
Photo: AP
Noam Shalit to testify before UN committee
One month before submitting its recommendations, investigation team into Israeli offensive in Gaza to hear testimony from kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit's father, who is expected to refer to his son's abduction as a war crime. Officially, Israel refuses to cooperate with probe due to 'lack of objectivity'
GENEVA - Kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit's father, Noam, will testify Monday in Geneva before a United Nations investigation team looking into testimonies from the Israeli offensive in Gaza
about half a year ago.
Shalit is expected to demand that the UN committee recognize his son's kidnapping as a war crime.
The team, headed by Richard Goldstone, is scheduled to submit its report next month. Gilad Shalit was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip three years ago.
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"The abduction of my son Gilad for trade and bargaining purposes as hostage, and preventing any connection with the outer world for three years during which he is being held in captivity, is a blatant violation of international treaties," the father is expected to state.
He will also turn to Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and say, "Your leadership is holding you too hostage for the past three years, all because of the unwillingness to reach an exchange deal which will secure my son's release."
Goldstone and the other committee members have visited Gaza and collected testimonies there. The delegation head said recently that the testimonies were painful.
"As fellow human beings we would like to put on record how deeply moved we were by many of the accounts of profound suffering and grief we have heard," Goldstone stated.
Shalit's parents have noted more than once that the Red Cross international relief organization was not allowed to visit their son and bring a sign of life for him, and this issue will likely be included in Noam Shalit's testimony before the Goldstone committee.
'Shalit paying price for failures'
Officially, Israel has refused to cooperate with the committee, claiming lack of objectivity. Defense Minister Ehud Barak told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month, "We view with severity the mandate given to this committee to deal with war crimes. I don’t think we will cooperate with this committee, although there is a lot of respect for Goldstone personally all around the world and in Israel as well."Barak clarified that Israel had previous experience with similar investigation committees operating in the region. "They won't check the other side, won't investigate the series of terror incidents throughout the years, including the firing of rockets on Israel's citizens. This is not a committee which will reach an unbiased conclusion, and therefore I don’t think we'll cooperate with this investigation."
Last month, Israel marked three years since Gilad Shalit was taken captive. Speaking at a rally held across the road from the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Noam Shalit said he doubts his son is able to see the light of day.
"All he asks from you is one thing – his freedom. As we are used to say here, Gilad has already paid the price for failures he was not responsible for. All Gilad wanted was to serve his country in a significant combat unit for three years."
Gilad Shalit was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip 1,107 days ago.
