The Prime Minister’s Office replied Tuesday to statements made by six former high-ranking security officials who urged him to cave in to Hamas’s demands for the release of Sgt. Gilad Shalit. The six – former Shin Bet heads Ami Ayalon, Karmi Gilon and Yaakov Perry, former Mossad head Danny Yatom, retired police major-general Alik Ron and Yom Kippur War hero Brig.-Gen. (res.) Avigdor Kahalani – held a news conference in which they urged Netanyahu to include terrorist murderers in the deal.
“The actions to bring First Sgt. Gilad Shalit home safe and sound continue all the while,” the PMO said. “It has been more than a year since Israel presented Hamas with its latest offer in the negotiations, but Hamas has yet to respond to this offer. This shows that the other side has no intention of successfully concluding the negotiations.”
“Beside the great commitment to bring Gilad back quickly, the Prime Minister is also responsible for the security and safety of all the citizens of Israel.”
“Past experience teaches us that dozens of Israelis were murdered in terror attacks perpetrated by terrorists who were freed in previous deals, such as the Jibril deal and the Tenenbaum deal. The Prime Minister insists adamantly that any deal reached not endanger the citizens of Israel.”
The six former security officilas told reporters that a military operation to free Shalit is not possible and that Israel will be able to withstand the aftermath of a deal for Shalit.
Elchanan Tenenbaum, who was abducted by Hizbullah after entering Lebanon for a drug deal and later freed in return for 435 terrorists, told IDF Radio Tuesday that Israel should accept Hamas’s demands for freeing Shalit. He noted that he had been held for three years in a room with no window, alone, and with the light on all the time.
Almagor, a terror victims’ organization, called on Netanyahu to ignore the news conference by the former defense officials. “These people failed in the past in freeing terrorists and with other wrongheaded security conceptions, which brought terror to monstrous proportions. They should not tell us what to do now. The blood price of terrorist releases is known and it would be sheer wanton recklessness to give in to Hamas.”
Read more: Arutz Shevah
{Arutz Shevah/Matzav.com Newscenter}
I do not envy any decision-makers on this issue.
May Hashem send Gilad Shalit home safely.
libavitch rebbe was against freeing any terrorist period.
In agreement. Not an easy or desirable decision.
Amein!
And Matzav eds, could you go back to including the full name, Gilad ben Aviva, in the body of the article? You have no idea how many spontaneous kapitlach have been said. Of course they’ll get to their destination regardless, but seeing the name triggers the Tehillim recitation for some.
Let him consult Daas Torah
Bi Bi, Do what it takes to bring my brother home. Then send the IDF into Gaza and take care of business once and for all. Don’t wimp out this time. The entire Jewish world is counting on you. It’s a tough job, but HaShem chose you to do it.