Insisting there is nothing he is not doing to obtain Gilad Shalit’s release; Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday announced that protests planned on behalf of the imprisoned soldier will not help his situation, insisting everything possible is being done.

The prime minister’s remarks come as the parents of the soldier announced they are moving to Jerusalem, to a protest tent opposite the Prime Minister’s Office, where they plan to remain in an effort to pressure Olmert into obtaining their son’s release before he steps down from office.

Olmert explained that not only he and others see the tent, but the terrorists as well, and as they see protests demanding his release, the price demanded for his release only increases as a result.

The prime minister added that if Israel complies with Hamas’ demands, 450 terrorists responsible for the murders of 1,000 Israeli will be released. Officials add that not a single one of the terrorists in question has expressed remorse and their release is a guarantee that they will immediately return to the same life, acts of terror towards murdering innocent people.

Responding to the prime minister’s remarks, Noam Shalit stated “After being in captivity for three years, Olmert’s remarks sound somewhat pathetic.” 

A second protest tent is being set up on Sunday as well, adjacent to the Shalits tent. The second tent is being manned by bereaved families, calling on the government not to release murderers in a prisoner exchange deal, an act which they insist will lead to additional loss of innocent lives.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)