MK Eldad on Shalit deal: PM crossing red line

Amid reports of a nearing deal to release hundreds of prisoners in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, the National Union party held a news conference Monday, in which they warned Knesset members of the deal's risks and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Netanyahu is crossing (former PM Ehud) Olmert's red lines. Netanyahu does not stop at red light; not even Olmert's red light," said National Union MK Arieh Eldad.

MK Eldad continued to say, that if Damian Kerlik, who is accused of the Ushrenko family murder, would have escaped prison – many police officers would have taken to the streets – suggesting that the government was about to release hundreds of murderers of the same magnitude.

"The murderers that will be released killed between one and 65 people each. Start calculating how many Israelis might pay with their lives for the government's irresponsible decision," said Eldad.

"Olmert said at the end of his term that there were red lines the government of Israel was not willing to cross," continued Eldad, "Today I have learned that the National Security Council was not asked to assess the situation or submit a recommendation to the government about what would happen in Judea, Samaria and Gaza as a result of this massive terrorist release."

"The government has exhausted every possible way of pressuring Hamas to release Shalit. I point my finger at Netanyahu, whose government rejected my proposal to block Hamas prisoners' visitation rights until such rights are granted to Shalit," concluded Eldad.

National Union Knesset members (Photo:Gil Yohanan)

MK Yaakov Katz (National Union) called on Netanyahu to resign, saying "we decided to convene at the last moment. We are not naïve; we know that once a decision has been made, the chance of changing the government's mind is close to zero.

"Despite this," Katz said, "we are believers and sons of believers, and we know that the Shamgar committee's conclusions, although not published, were clear in stating that if Israel is a nation that seeks to survive, it must conduct kidnapping affairs differently than it currently does."

'Succumbing to terror will only bring multifold terror'

MK Uri Ariel (National Union) also spoke about the repercussions linked to the release of terrorists: "Terror experts say that those who succumb to terror will bring upon themselves much more terror.

"We saw the Jibril deal, we witnessed the escape from Lebanon and Gaza, and yet we are engaging in these absurdities once again. 

"You ask if we have an alternative – the alternative to releasing prisoners is using all our economic power to prevent prisoners' benefits, stop supplies from reaching Gaza, etc. I have no doubt these actions would bring a tremendous change in attitude toward Gilad Shalit. Netanyahu and (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak are giving in to public pressure – the worst kind of pressure," he said.