Noam Shalit: Olmert didn't make every effort for Gilad's release

The father of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit leveled rare criticism at former prime minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday evening over his handling of negotiations to secure his son's release.

"Despite [Olmert's] repeated declarations that the government of Israel was doing everything for the release of Gilad Shalit, and that his picture sits right opposite him in his office, I know that he didn't make every effort and I know that from sources who were involved in the matter," Shalit said in an interview on Channel Two.

Gilad Shalit was kidnapped in a 2006 cross-border raid by Gaza militants; he is widely believed to be still held in the Hamas-ruled territory. Egyptian-brokered talks to secure his release broke down during the last days of Olmert's tenure earlier this year.

Shalit also revealed during the interview that Olmert had reproached his family over its public campaign to secure Gilad's release.

"He made sure to rebuke us and to make all sorts of ridiculous claims," Shalit said. "[Olmert] claimed that our activities do not help and are even damaging. He made sure to tell us that we're lucky that Gilad is alive."

In the interview Saturday, Noam Shalit said that his family had set the return of their son as a target for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that there had been a drastic change in the handling of the case since Netanyahu replaced Olmert.

Shalit praised the appointment of former senior Mossad operative Haggai Hadas as the new official in charge of negotiations for Gilad Shalit's release, calling Hadas "fitting, energetic, productive and firm," but noting that "we are not impressed by his past but by results."

Following the interview, Olmert's office said in a brief statement that, "Mr Olmert will not respond publicly to claims such as these, or any other, by the Shalit family, however erroneous, harmful and inaccurate they may be."

The statement added that Olmert had made "supreme" efforts during his term in office to bring the soldier back to Israel, some of which were unknown to the Shalit family. "Like all the People of Israel, he looks forward to the day when Gilad returns to his family," it said.