By: Yoav Appel Jewish Press Tuesday, July 4, 2006

JERUSALEM – In the first clear criticism of the government since his son Gilad was kidnapped eight days ago, Noam Shalit said on Monday that it was “delusional” that the state of Israel would attempt to re-establish its deterrence at the expense of his son.

Shalit was responding to comments made by Minister Meir Sheetrit who said Israel should utilize the situation to restore its level of deterrence.

“Israel should have done that before the attack, when there was intelligence information on tunnels being dug in the region. Despite this, we will not rush to conclusions and wait for the findings of the Eiland commission [established to investigate the Kerem Shalom attack],” Shalit told Channel 10.

“As time progresses, it becomes harder and harder to cope,” Noam said, eight days after his son was abducted on the border with Gaza. Advertisement

Shalit, who lost his twin brother in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, said the family was unmoved by reports of an ultimatum that suggested harm may come to his captured son if Israel did not act.

A soft-spoken Shalit said the family, although upset, was trying to maintain an even mood, and not get excited or depressed over every statement they heard.

A report published early Monday on an Internet website had set a 6 a.m. Tuesday deadline for Israel to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners or “pay the consequences.”

“We’re not paying attention to everything that is published on the Internet,” Shalit said, standing outside his home alongside Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, who visited the family briefly Monday.

Shalit said he’d asked Halutz to carry his wishes for his son’s release to the political echelons. “As the number one soldier in Israel, I asked the chief of staff to represent Gilad’s interests, as a soldier sent by the army, as soldier to soldier, that he represent Gilad’s interest to Israel and to the decision-making echelons,” Shalit said.

Shalit’s father expressed hope for a momentum that would bring about Gilad’s freedom, despite the news that Israel had rejected any ultimatum to free Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his release.

The days have taken their toll on Shalit’s father. His distress shows. Nevertheless, he is very much in control. “I must stay lucid and have my finger on the pulse, otherwise I could easily lose touch with events as they unfold,” he said.

Despite the fact that Israel’s acceptance of the ultimatum could have raised the prospects of his son’s return home, Shalit said he approved of the Israeli response to the ultimatum.

Asked if he had confronted the government with the fact that hundreds of prisoners had been freed in return for Elhanan Tennebaum and the three bodies of the IDF soldiers who were kidnapped by Hizbullah, Shalit only said, “The Tennenbaum precedent is known. I don’t need to remind our leaders of the recent history.” (JPFS)

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