The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) today commended Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for adopting a tough stance with regard to securing the release of Israeli MIA Gilad Schalit.  In a conversation with United States Mideast envoy Senator George Mitchell, Olmert stated that the crossings in and out of Gaza will not be opened for anything other than humanitarian aid until a solution is reached concerning the safe return of Schalit.
 
“We applaud Prime Minister Olmert for drawing a line in the sand and taking a tough stance in an effort to bring Gilad Schalit home,” said NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky.  “Israel should do nothing to help the Palestinians until they help secure Gilad Schalit’s freedom.  Until Gilad Schalit is safely returned to his family, the Israeli government should not make concessions of any kind to the terrorists responsible for his capture.  We can no longer allow a young Israeli soldier, a Jewish soul, to languish in captivity while his captors continue to use his life as a bargaining chip in an attempt to achieve their terrorist goals.  It is time for Gilad Schalit to come home.”
 
Schalit was captured by Hamas on June 25, 2006, and has been held captive in Gaza ever since.  Since Gilad Schalit was captured two-and-a-half years ago, the National Council of Young Israel has led a campaign to pray for his well-being and safe return.

(YWN Desk – NYC)