Gilad Shalit’s parents, Noam and Aviva, via their attorneys on Tuesday sent a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, calling on the government to stop channeling tax revenue funds to the Hamas regime in Gaza, stating the current realities are resulting in Hamas’ unwillingness to return to talks towards obtaining their son’s release.

NIS tens of millions have been handed over to terrorists and an additional NIS tens of millions are expected to follow, despite the knowledge the monies may very well land in the hands of terrorists, who use the money to finance the battle against Israel.

The transfer of tax funds the senior Shalit’s explain represents Israeli concessions and a shirking of the government’s responsibility to bring Gilad home. The government’s policies have resulting in Hamas taking a harder-line position vis-à-vis the soldier’s release. The government’s “irrational policies” the Shalits explain, have resulted in the current situation, Hamas refusing to exhibit any flexibility, raising demands to compel them to release Gilad, who has been held in captivity since June 2006.

The attorneys representing the Shalits also maintain the continued transfer of tax funds represents a violation of a Supreme Court ruling of 2003, which stated only the cabinet has the authority to release such funds “but there has never been a cabinet discussion on the matter and there has certainly never been a cabinet ruling permitting the transfer of the funds to the PA (Palestinian Authority)”.

The letter concludes that in the absence of a change in government policy, they may be compelled to pursue the matter via the judiciary.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)