Dr. Aryeh Bachrach, whose son Ohad was murdered in a terror attack in Wadi Kelt 14 years ago, is one of the bereaved parents to objects to the reinstatement of Amos Gilad as the cabinet emissary to the Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas on issues including the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Gilad Shalit.

Bachrach explained on Thursday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was originally adopting a very hard-line position, unwilling to release terrorists en masse as is the case today. He blames Gilad for this alarming change in policy, stating his information is based on ‘those in the know,’ people who are aware it was Amos Gilad who pushed the policy of major Israeli concessions that dictates government policy today.

Bachrach added that Tzachi Hanegbi, who heads the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, told him that as a direct result of the terrorists released in the Elchanan Tannenbaum prisoner release, 23 Israelis were murdered. “Understand, we want Gilad Shalit released as much as anyone, but there are things we mustn’t do” he exclaimed.

Dr. Bachrach added “they speak of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza but there is another humanitarian crisis, the one that afflicts the parents of Gilad Shalit.” He explained that it is totally unacceptable that terrorists in Israel receive Red Cross and family visits while Gilad Shalit is deprived of any visitation, including the Red Cross.

“Let Israel begin prohibiting all visitation to terrorists and we will begin to see a different response from Hamas” he stated.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)