Sarkozy says will continue to act tirelessly
Photo: AP
Gilad Shalit. More than 3 years in captivity
Photo: AP
Sarkozy: France has not forgotten about Shalit
French president sends letter to kidnapped soldier's parents ahead of their son's birthday to assure them that his country will continue to work for his release
French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently wrote to the parents of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit
to assure them that France has not forgotten about their son and will continue to work for his release.
"You can be certain that France and the French people will not forget Gilad and will continue to act tirelessly, in close consultation with the Israeli authorities to have him released.
"This August 28, on Gilad's 23rd birthday, my thoughts are with your son and with you as he suffers unacceptable detention conditions and is deprived of liberty for more than three years," President Sarkozy wrote in a letter sent to the captive's mother and father.
Exchanging Accusations
Palestinian movement's spokesman says Israel responsible for delay in Gilad Shalit's release by 'showing no flexibility'
"You can count on my commitment at all times to bring about, without delay, the day when you can reunite with him," Sarkozy assured Aviva and Noam Shalit.
The president said he had asked France's new ambassador in Israel, Christophe Bigot, to get in contact with the Shalit family upon his arrival in order to maintain the ongoing relationship that his predecessor had with the family since the abduction.
Gilad Shalit, who is also a French citizen, was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip on June 25, 2006 by three Palestinian groups, including Hamas' military wing.
Shalit's guards urged to be patient
Meanwhile Monday evening, the Gaza government's minister for prisoner affairs, Muhammad al-Ghoul, turned to the security men guarding Shalit and said, "You have shown a lot of patience, and we are saying to you: There is not much left, just a little more patience and strong standing until the deal yields its fruit and all our prisoners are released."
The Palestinian minister spoke during a rally held outside the Red Cross building in Gaza.
Al-Ghoul said that the "occupation state" was trying to delay a prisoner exchange deal due to its failure to dictate its own conditions, "and the enemy is trying to give the impression that it's not in a rush to complete it, but we know it is suffering from internal distress following the increased pressure on the Zionist government led by Netanyahu to close the Shalit case at all costs.
"We are convinced that the enemy will not be able to bear the burden of additional pressures on this matter and will do everything to end this affair."
