Yoel Shalit
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Shalit's brother: Golden opportunity to free Gilad
Gilad Shalit's brother breaks silence, urges outgoing government to secure abducted soldier's release
Yoel Shalit, the older brother of Gilad Shalit, is urging the government to secure the release of the abducted IDF soldier before its term in office ends.
In an interview with Channel 2's "Meet the Press," Yoel Shalit said: "I can imagine his suffering and his pain. Although it's very difficult to imagine such suffering, which has been going on for three years – almost a 1,000 days – in Hamas captivity, where we don't know what conditions he faces and what he's been going through."
Yoel Shalit, 25, currently resides in Haifa. Just like his abducted brother, he served in the IDF armored corps. In the past he served as a tank commander.
Up until this past week, the abducted soldier's brother maintained a low profile and focused on his studies at the Technion. However, as the current government is about to end its term in office, he has decided to actively join the public struggle for his brother's release.
"I'm exposing myself now because it's a critical week and a critical junction," Yoel Shalit said. "We very much hope that the campaign, the protest tent, and the broad public support will prompt decision-makers to make the right decision and bring Gilad back."
On Saturday, the Shalit family held a Shabbat dinner at its protest tent, opposite the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. About 40 of the abducted soldier's relatives took part in the event. During the meal, the family placed an empty chair with Gilad's photo between his father, Noam, and his brother, Yoel.
