Gilad Shalit update: Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with captured soldier’s parents

By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Gilad Shalits parents meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo Courtesy of BBC.)
Gilad Shalit's parents meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo Courtesy of Ha'aretz.)

JERUSALEM, Israel – Last Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara held an hour-long meeting with the parents of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Noam and Aviva Shalit reached Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem following a twelve-day march, in an effort to secure their son’s release. Gilad, now twenty-three years old, was captured in June 2006 by Palestinian militants and has been held in Gaza by Hamas militants who have demanded the release of as many as one thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit’s release.

Shalit’s family set up a protest tent at the culmination of the protest march, vowing to demonstrate outside the weekly cabinet meetings until their son is released. Over the weekend, visitors streamed in and out of the tent, in a showing of support for the family.

Following the meeting with Netanyahu, Noam Shalit said that there was no new news, but also indicated that the family did not have high hopes prior to their meeting with Netanyahu.

“We have received no news yet that might calm us or change the situation. We’ll remain in the tent as planned; there is no change. We’ll stay here until Gilad returns,” Noam said.

Netanyahu, who recently returned from a trip to the United States, told the couple that the issue of their son’s release was one of the topics discussed with U.S. President Barack Obama and other senior officials in Washington.

“It’s not just the tens of thousands of marchers who support you, but all the citizens of the state of Israel,” Netanyahu told the Shalits. “There are also millions of people abroad who are with you, as are my wife and myself.”

Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported on Sunday that Netanyahu asked former U.S. president Bill Clinton to help mediate the release of Shalit. Netanyahu met with Clinton during his trip to Washington, where he proposed that Clinton visit Gaza to negotiate with senior Hamas officials.

Netanyahu has said that Israel will release one thousand Palestinian prisoners, though not all the ones that Hamas wants. Some that might be released are serving multiple life sentences for their roles in organizing suicide bombings.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Netanyahu meets Shalit’s parents – 9 July 2010

Ha’aretz – Shalit family to protest outside weekly cabinet meetings – 11 July 2010

Ha’aretz – Report: Netanyahu asks Bill Clinton to mediate Shalit release – 11 July 2010

The Media Line – Public Support for the Release of Gilad Shalit Continues after Five Years – 12 July 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive