Barak: Israel is working day and night to bring Shalit home

Defense Minister Ehud Barak pledged on Sunday that Israel would do everything in its power to ensure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been in Palestinian captivity for more than two years.

"We will implement every appropriate and possible process, not for every price and not just through negotiations to release Gilad Shalit," Barak told student participants at the "Israel for the Youth" conference Tel Aviv University.

"This is a matter of ethical obligation and we are preoccupied with this issue day and night," he added.

The defense minister emphasized that he was steadfast in his determination to bring about Shalit's release and stressed that the defense establishment would work on the matter even if it meant making "difficult decisions and complicated operations."

"As a field commander and combatant, I have led people to battle, I have seen people killed, I have led operations to rescue hostages," he said. "We must remember one thing - Gilad will not return home through populist decisions? I know we will have to make difficult decisions, but I don't fear that it won't bring Gilad home."