Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., July 23, 2008 Tamuz 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 06:35 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Released Colombian hostage holding a poster of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit at a rally in Paris on Sunday. (AP) Last update - 20:11 20/07/2008 Holding photo of Gilad Shalit, Betancourt urges 'freedom for everyone' By Haaertz Service and News Agencies Tags: Israel, Ingrid Betancourt  Holding a poster of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, recently released Franco-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt joined demonstrations around the world on Sunday urging an end to kidnappings. Shalit has been in captivity in the Gaza Strip since being abducted by Palestinian militants in a June 2006 cross-border raid. Negotiations for his release have been slow, particularly amid a fragile Gaza cease-fire now in place between Israel and Hamas. Thousands gathered near the Eiffel Tower to hear Betancourt, a Franco-Colombian politician rescued from captivity this month after spending more than six years as a hostage of Colombian rebel forces. Advertisement Betancourt was addressing a rally in the French capital as part of a series of demonstrations around the world to protest kidnappings. "We want freedom for everyone," said Betancourt, drawing loud applause from the crowd, many of whom chanted the Spanish word for freedom "Libertad!" Betancourt's speech, delivered in Spanish, was shown on television in Colombia, which is also preparing to hold a mass anti-kidnapping rally on its national day. Hundreds of Colombians gathered in Madrid's Plaza Mayor over the weekend to call for peace in Colombia and to celebrate Betancourt's liberation. A smiling Betancourt was flanked on the Paris stage by her mother and various artists and singers. She called for an end to the conflict between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). She also read out a list of names of those still held by the FARC and called for their release. The FARC has been fighting a socialist insurgency for 44 years, mainly financed since the 1980s by the cocaine trade. Betancourt and 14 other hostages were freed after Colombian military agents tricked FARC fighters into handing the group over to them. The agents pretended to be non-governmental workers acting as go-betweens for the FARC leadership. She is a popular figure in France and was awarded one of France's top honors by President Nicolas Sarkozy this month Bookmark to del.icio.us   Baptism by fire Bradley Burston offers 10 Mideast traps for Barack Obama to avoid. A second life 'Exodus' passenger makes aliyah six decades after being turned away.   1.   What about? 20:59  |  Sam 20/07/08   2.   #1 21:16  |  Roye 20/07/08   3.   #1 Maybe because they`re terrorists like the people who held her 21:18  |  McQueen 20/07/08   4.   10,000 Palestinian Terrorists who were justly arrested! 21:19  |  Jewish State 20/07/08   5.   #1 Sam, Because they are murderers and terrorists 21:19  |  Avram 20/07/08   6.   SAM,. PLEASE!?!?? 21:22  |  Brant 20/07/08   7.   #1 SAM. I totally agree with u. What about Pal, prisoners! 21:24  |  John 20/07/08   8.   # 1 21:27  |  yosef 20/07/08   9.   sam 21:28  |  JI 20/07/08   10.   Shame on Betancourt 21:29  |  Ismail 20/07/08   11.   Hypocracrit or manipulated?!! 21:29  |  John 20/07/08   12.   Terrorists should be treated as war criminals. 21:30  |  Jean Van Daem 20/07/08   13.   Because they were not kidnapped 21:33  |  s 20/07/08   14.   Because they are convicted criminals 21:40  |  CM 20/07/08   15.   what about? 21:42  |  david 20/07/08   16.   to 10 It is racism to denay others what you claim for yourself 21:53  |  CM 20/07/08   17.   To Ismail 21:54  |  Jonathan 20/07/08   18.   10. Ismail: She was kidnapped by terrorists 22:06  |  KUTW 20/07/08   19.   Knee Jerk Supporters of Terrorism 22:11  |  Jabotinsky 20/07/08   20.   If an arab commits a crime against a Jew it is not a crime! 22:27  |  Avram 20/07/08   21.   "Betancourt urges `freedom for everyone` " 22:43  |  Esther 20/07/08   22.   Palestinian prisoners are held without charge or trial 22:46  |  Tarik 20/07/08   23.   Sam, the answer is quite simple 22:52  |  Nephtaly 20/07/08   24.   The World Knows whose Right 22:53  |  Raymond 20/07/08   25.   Sam - Because the world has no sympathy for 10,000 22:57  |  awesome 20/07/08   26.   Terrorists? 23:07  |  Miriam 20/07/08   27.   Tarik 23:15  |  Nephtaly 20/07/08   28.   #1 23:22  |  anyuci 20/07/08   29.   she`s got the point 23:27  |  anyuci 20/07/08   30.   To Tarik. Bull! You are just Lying! 23:39  |  Avram 20/07/08   31.   WHO ARE KKEEPING PRISONERS 23:43  |  TOBIA 20/07/08   32.   Anyone remember the small fact that Gilad is a French citizen? 23:44  |  Hannah 20/07/08   33.   22 Tarik,quite right! And you omitted to mention the Palestinian 00:04  |  lakshmi 21/07/08   34.   Cheap Shot 00:05  |  Tranquilizer 21/07/08   35.   We need god kala 00:35  |  FalluJah 21/07/08   36.   What would be the point.... 00:40  |  Adam 21/07/08   37.   FLASH BACK to refresh memories 00:42  |  fallujah 21/07/08   38.   free everyone 00:56  |  paulo2005 21/07/08   39.   SAM in the spotlight 01:05  |  Tulip 21/07/08   40.   questions like Sam`s 01:11  |  Ben 21/07/08   41.   Ingrid needs to take a break 02:33  |  Aphemia 21/07/08   42.   11,000 CAPTIVE PALESTINIANS 03:55  |  CHOSEN WORLD 21/07/08   43.   roye 2 04:04  |  potobac 21/07/08   44.   The instigators of the terror 04:11  |  Bridgett Gabriel Fan 21/07/08   45.   Holding photo of Gilad Shalit, Betancourt urges `freedom for ever 05:02  |  steve 21/07/08   46.   42 Chosen World,spot on! see my post 33 to Tarik 05:13  |  lakshmi 21/07/08   47.   Nephtaly is wrong--Israel holds thousands of Palestinian hostages 16:13  |  Tarik 21/07/08   48.   avram 5 06:25  |  potobac 23/07/08

Read & React Israel fears scathing U.S. report on its West Bank policies Responses: 242 Fearing Haredi ire, Knesset choir bans women singers at Brown session Responses: 121 Israeli officials: U.S. intervention in minor Palestinian issues may damage ties Responses: 151 'Olmert vowed to keep Jerusalem whole, but that's not why I helped' Responses: 36 Bradley Burston: Ten Mideast traps for Barack Obama to avoid Responses: 34 Rosner's Domain Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? What will Obama look for in Jerusalem (and Ramallah)? Why does Israel keep agreeing to prisoner swaps? More Headlines 04:01 East Jerusalem terror activity on the rise 02:37 ANALYSIS / The timing of the second J'lem bulldozer attack was amazing 02:22 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist 05:51 ANALYSIS / Obama visiting Israel to impress Jewish voters, not Israelis 04:10 UN reports drop in violence in Gaza, marked peace developments 04:55 Iran hackers target Israeli Web site over message by Jewish group 01:27 Estelle Getty, peppery oldster in TV's 'Golden Girls,' dies at 84 02:35 UN Secretary-General reveals parts of letter from Hezbollah head Nasrallah 06:19 Livni: When I'm PM, I'll seek unity gov't with Labor, Likud 02:55 Talansky to Haaretz: Olmert most astute politician I've met 06:17 Ramallah baker makes Barack bagel in honor of Obama visit 01:48 Olmert government to hold first meeting on global jihad Wednesday 05:31 Man ordered to pay wife NIS 55,000 for refusing to divorce her 23:10 'Exodus' passenger makes aliyah 6 decades after being turned away Previous Editions Select Day 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul