Some extracts from a speech given by Noam Shalit, Gilad’s father, in Tel Aviv this morning:
“The government of Israel has abandoned my son, there are no words …to describe this.”
“The government of Israel and the head of the government do not have the courage to admit in their failure to release Gilad through alternate options, and on the other hand do not reveal the integrity that is required in paying the price necessary today for an IDF solider who is still alive, in so far as it does not stand behind its responsibility to bring a captive home.”
“A country that forfeits her citizens – in the end will be forfeited; a country that abandons its citizens – in the end will be abandoned. This is true on the battlefield and also in other areas involving risk and disaster.”
“I am standing in front of you and crying out the cry of Gilad, the mute cry from the darkness of the hole where he has been held for the past four years. Stand in front of Hamas and say: ‘One soldier of ours is worth thousands of yours, because that is our strength.’”
Okay, I have complete understanding of this. If I had a son that was captured by Hamas I would do the same thing. But just what should, or can the government of Israel do to get Giliad back?
Stan
I echo what Stan said .. As a father, I understand what Noam Shalit is doing 100% and would do the same if my boy g-d forbid found himself in that situation.
However, as an Israeli citizen, I think Noam’s continual verbal assaults on Bibi and his govt are only hurting us. We cannot just release anyone – these people will MURDER again, it’s sadly guaranteed. Who are we to say, “Oh Gilad’s life is more valuable than civilian x y z who will die because some terrorist was released?” That’s the difficulty …
I would never say that to Noam’s face – out of pain that I also feel. However, we have NOT abandoned Gilad, we have NOT given up on him – we just can’t do it as he would do it (which MOST parents would do) and risk the bloody of tens, if not hundreds, of other Israelis (Shalit will, as he’s done in the past, call this ‘fearmongering’ but it’s reality).
I’d like to add, that even if the terrorists that would be released for Shalit did not kill again (highly unlikely), the tactic of kidnapping would be proven a success, and would guarantee further abductions.
Stan
Um, Avram, giving in to nblackmail is not the only option.
How about no aid for Gaza or any Palis until Gilad and other Israeli soldiers held in captivity are released?
How about no negotiat5ions until Gilad and co are released?
No electricity, water, power, goods, ANYTHING unitl every Israeli soldier is released from this Islamic hellhole.
Nothing for Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails until Gilad and Co are released!
Some of these ideas come from an Israeli blogger i read years ago. Can’t recall which ones, but as i read her writing I felt she is absolutely correct.
Why should Israel do ANY deals with these gangsters?
The only thing Hamas fear about Israel is that they won’t be able to annihilate it fast enough!
Jill – Thanks for your response.
Your ideas, via this blogger, make sense. However, they will cause extreme damage to Israel for the obvious reasons. To be honest, they wouldn’t make much difference to Hamas either way – we’d playing right into their hands as the well being of their citizens isn’t really that critical to them.
My heart cries out in anguish for the suffering of the Shalit family. But my head says the Israeli government is correct in not giving in to blackmail. I well remember the shame I felt when my government crumbled before PFLP demands and released Leila Khaled to a world which admired her for being a terrorist. I always thought it a great pity the Israeli skymarshals on that El Al flight had not also killed her as well as her accomplice.
We in the West have paid a terrible price for terrorist deals over the years. Dare I say Israel, especially in today’s world, simply cannot afford to pay that price.
As a mother I feel for the Shalits, but as an Israeli who as seen too many of my brothers and sisters murdered in cold blood I cannot condone the release of a single terrorist. Hamas and Hezbollah are trying to kidnap more of our kids–there are close calls almost every day–if we give in to terror it will be the beginning of the end for us. I often walk by the Shalit tent and I cry for them, but I still think we must get Gilad back without bowing to terror.