Noam Shalit: Netanyahu must outdo Olmert's attempts to release Gilad

The Shalit family and activists working for the captive soldier Gilad Shalit's release expressed disappointment Monday at the Ehud Olmert administration ending its term in office with the Shalit case still pending and no end in sight.

Gilad's father Noam Shalit said Tuesday that he expects Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu to outdo PM Ehud Olmert's attempts to secure the release of his son.

According to Shalit, Olmert did not do the best he could to release his son, saying that the Shalit family looked on as the current government failed to make any meaningful accomplishment that could possibly hasten his son's release.

Shalit also said that his family will closely examine the dealings of the new government in regards to his son and will plan its future moves accordingly.

The soldier's mother, Aviva, will be among those present at the inauguration ceremony for the incoming government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.

"History will judge whether the Olmert government really did all it could to return Gilad. We can only hope the present government does everything to bring him back," she said.

Activists working with the family said they were pleased Ehud Barak would be continuing as defense minister, but that they were refraining from letting their expectations get too high.

"We know the components of the government have changed, and that there are ministers who firmly oppose agreeing to the solution that has been discussed," said activist Shimshon Liebman. "We expect the struggle to be hard. We dearly hope negotiations continue toward the same point the sides reached in the Olmert government."

Amid their disappointment, neither activists nor family members presented a new initiative in recent days to present to the incoming government.

Meanwhile, Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno announced during a formal evening celebrating Israel's 60th anniversary that the city will declare Gilad Shalit an honorary citizen. Alemanno said that the Shalit affair does not concern the state of Israel alone, but the whole of humanity.

	Aviva Shalit, mother of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
	Photo by: (Reuters)