Noam Shalit hails Sarkozy efforts for Gilad's release
In Paris, abducted soldier's father says French President acting out of 'personal commitment' on matter.
By Jack Khoury and Haaretz Service Tags: Gilad Shalit Hamas Nicolas Sarkozy Israel newsThe father of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on Thursday lauded the efforts of Nicolas Sarkozy to secure his son's release, after a meeting with the French President at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
"It appears that President Sarkozy is working out of a personal commitment for Gilad's release," said Noam Shalit. "The subject is in his soul, and I know that this is not just about words but deeds as well."
Shalit, who was in Paris in order to urge France to push for his son's release, spoke with Sarkozy for about 20 minutes in a meeting that was described as "very moving." He wanted to thank the French leader for his efforts, but at the close of the meeting Sarkozy said he refused to accept his thanks as long as Gilad was not home.
While Shalit did not reveal any more of the meeting's content, his associates did confirm a report in Haaretz that Sarkozy has sent a message recently to Syrian President Bashar Assad asking him to pressure the Hamas leadership in Damascus to close a deal for the soldier's release.
Noam Shalit: No light at the end of the tunnel
Ahead of the meeting with Sarkozy, Shalit said he saw no immediate hope that his son would be freed soon, despite Hamas' release of a video last week showing him alive, AFP reported.
"We were moved to see him after so much time, after a period in which we hadn't even received a photo of him," Shalit told the French news agency during a trip to Paris.
"On the other hand we are very worried, we don't see light at the end of the tunnel," Shalit was quoted as saying.
Israel received last week the first footage showing Gilad Shalit looking healthy after more than three years of captivity in Gaza, where he is being held by Palestinian militants.
The video was sent in exchange for Israel's release of 20 Palestinian women prisoners.
The exchange was widely seen as the biggest breakthrough since Gaza militants kidnapped Shalit in a 2006 cross-border raid. But Noam Shalit, whose son is also a French citizen, was not so hopeful on Thursday.
"For us, it is a step in the right direction, but that doesn't mean that a deal on prisoners is close, there has been no breakthrough," AFP quoted him as saying.
But the decision by Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza, to release the video was "a sign that they are under pressure and they want to move things forward," he said, according to the news agency.
Shalit reportedly said he believed that the video had had a powerful effect on the Israeli public.
"No-one can remain indifferent to a film like that," he was quoted as saying.
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Noam Shalit. |
| Photo by: (Jini) |
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I admire the Shalit family and all his supporters, but it seems no one is brave enough to ask the question: Do we have a right to release hundreds of terrorists who will promote further violence and encourage others, in exchange for one soldier? As a result of that there will be countless future victims, and further kidnappings. Who has the right to authorize such a diabolical answer to a diabolical dilemma? One life is worth the world, but is one life worth putting dozens of others at risk?
You call blowing up women and children eating pizza nothing but resistance. Blowing up buses filled with civilans nothing but resistance. Blowing up malls and restaurants nothing but resistance. Blowing up the elderly while sitting down to celebrate a religious holiday nothing but resistance. If your kin is responsible for all these acts of "Nothing but resistance" then I hope and pray that they continue to rot in jail for the rest of their lives. As much as I want to see Shalit come home the release of these animals who did nothing except resist is too much to pay. Its called "Cause and Effect" somthing that the Palestinians have never learned and therefore will never have their own state.
The terrorists/criminals that Israel have arrested have commited CRIMES, SUICIDE ATTACKS, KASSAM ROCKETS. There are the terrorists you support whi actively murder innocent cilivians. There is a difference between grieving for murders and civilians/soldiers.
A deal was struck for evidence if Shalit was still alive? Proof we (hamas) will give you the evidence (proof)you ask for ONLY if you release terrorists from their convicted jail sentences women/men whats the diff? Now WHAT we will wait until hamas decicides to make the next move. I feel the good faith/honest actions of the the Israeli government is ADMORABLE however AFTER ALL this is Their (JEWISH) Nation RIGHT why doesnt the israeli government take off the GLOVES and play by the rules of their advisaries? WHICH MEANS there ARE NO RULES!!!
that is the way it is in palestine
we grieve as much for our kin who rot in your jails having done nothing but resist an illegal occupation and land theift