Shalit family: Stop funneling funds to Gaza
Kidnapped soldier's parents appeal to prime minister, defense minister and foreign minister, demanding urgent cabinet meeting on their son's abduction. 'This is money transferred by the State in order to keep Hamas in power,' says Noam Shalit
The demand was made in a letter sent by the lawyers of Aviva and Noam Shalit to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
According to Shalit, "This is not about the funding of bread and milk, this is about funding given by the State to essentially keep Hamas in power."
The captive's father added that he had personally discussed the issue with Barak, but that the defense minister did not respond to his claims. According to Shalit, despite Israel's generous policy towards Hamas, the organization has halted the talks for Shalit's release, even during the ceasefire in Gaza.
The lawyers wrote in the letter, "As far as our senders are aware, a cabinet meeting on the matter of Corporal Gilad Shalit has yet to be held to this very day, despite an explicit demand to hold such a meeting in our letter dated June 24, 2008.
"Please inform us on how you plan to bring the aforementioned issue for discussion and decision at the cabinet and when you plan to hold such a discussion. If you fail to do so according to the law, our senders will be forced, heavyheartedly and with deep regret, to consider once again applying for legal aid."
"Our senders believe that as a result of the government's unreasonable behavior, Hamas elements holding their son are toughening their stance in regards to his release, and are intentionally refraining from any contact or negotiations, even indirectly, regarding his release," the attorneys added.
'Israel financing terror activities'
The letter was sent following a phone call held Monday night between Noam Shalit and the defense minister's military secretary, Brigadier-General Eitan Dangot.
In this conversation, the letter stated, "Mr. Shalit learned to his amazement that the State of Israel has been funneling funds to different elements within the Gaza Strip.
"For instance, Mr. Shalit learned that only two weeks ago tens of millions of shekels were transferred into the Gaza Strip, and that the Israeli government plans to transfer additional tens of millions of shekels into the Strip as we speak.
"It was explained to Mr. Shalit that these are tax funds belonging to the Palestinian Authority and being held by the State of Israel, which are transferred into the Gaza Strip for the supposed goal of paying the salaries of government workers.
"There is no need to mention that after these funds are handed over to certain elements within the Gaza Strip, the State of Israel has no control over the way these funds are used, including the possibility that they will be used to finance terror activities from within the Gaza Strip against the State of Israel."
The Shalit family's lawyers – Prof. Ariel Bendor, Attorney Eldad Yaniv and Attorney Sharon Stein – noted that last year, following the ongoing rocket fire directed at the State of Israel and its citizens, the State declared the Gaza Strip "a hostile entity to Israel," a declaration which enabled it to limit the supply of goods and services into the Strip, including essential goods, thus imposing an extensive economic siege on Gaza.
"Not only is the State of Israel failing to prevent the transfer of goods into the Strip and to use its ability to pressure (Hamas) in order to advance the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit, it even funnels funds into the Strip in a way which allows the financing of terror activities against the State of Israel and its citizens," the letter said.
