Shalit family and activists are angered over the announcement that Minister Dan Meridor has turned town the request to act as emissary to talks with Hamas towards obtaining the release of Gilad Shalit. They explain the family’s decision to remain silent, to give the new administration a grace period, has turned out to be counterproductive, now a clear sign that the matter of the soldier’s release is not a priority for the Netanyahu government. The position remains vacant and the clock is ticking activists explain.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was expected to announce a replacement for Ofir Dekel as the government emissary to address talks to negotiate a prisoner release for Shalit, but since Dekel resigned his post over differences with the new administration, the prime minister has been foot-dragging and the position remains vacant for weeks.

The soldier’s parents, Noam and Aviva Shalit, will lead the annual Salute to Israel Parade in NYC on Sunday, 31 May. Despite repeated pleas from the family to link Gilad’s release to all regional peace talks, there efforts have only yielded partial success.

June 25th will mark the soldier’s third anniversary in Hamas captivity and Mr. Shalit is calling on the International Red Cross once again to insist the humanitarian organization be permitted to have representatives confirm that his son is alive and to give testimony regarding his condition. Since he was taken captive in the cross-border terror attack in Kerem Shalom, no one has seen Gilad.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)