President Shimon Peres
met Monday with students from the Western Galilee and from the Manor-Cabri high school, where abducted soldier Gilad
Shalit once studied.
The president commented on the peace negotiations between Israel
and the Palestinians, saying that "the problem is not on the Israeli side."
Peres told the students: "Gilad is one of our kidnapped soldiers, and Israel is doing its utmost efforts to guarantee his return, but the price is high and will require the release of hundreds of prisoners, some of which murdered our sons.
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"Unfortunately we are dealing with an organization
that lacks rules and principles, and which cannot be trusted with anything it says. Each soul in Israel represents an entire universe. Gilad is our soldier and our son, and we will do everything in our power to bring him home," added the president.
Peres also talked about the Goldstone Report and
said that "everyone is asking how could there be more children killed on the Arab side. The explanation stems from our focus on protecting and shielding our civilians, while they put theirs in the battle forefront. We do not use our children as human shield."
Yarden Eshel, a senior high school student, turned to the president and said,"Gilad Shalit is an alumni in our school. Some of the audiences here today are neighbors and family friends.
"How can we make the distinction between our will to join the army and our disappointment with the way Israel dealt with the Shalit case? As my drafting date approaches, I get more and more concerned with these questions."
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