Bring Gilad Shalit Home

[maven]

Been a long time now and as we are hearing very little news

perhaps it is time to Remember Gilead Shalit:

Sign Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/gshalit/petition.html

Bring Gilad Home Homepage:
http://www.bringgiladhome.com/

[Shalom_Israel]

I just bought 100 Gilad Shalit dog tags to give to friends.

http://www.azm.org/images/shalit.tag_sm.jpg

http://www.azm.org/store_campaign_all.shtml

[maven]

Three years today.

Remembering Gilad Shalit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEos6qar7BM&feature=related

[Shalom_Israel]

He is in my prayers.

[Mediocrates]

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=44088

NGO Monitor: HRW Statement on Gilad Shalit Better Late than Never NGO Monitor: HRW Statement on Gilad Shalit Better Late than Never
Release Date: 25 June 2009
(Jerusalem) - Jerusalem based research organization NGO Monitor welcomed a
statement from Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the third anniversary of Israeli
soldier Gilad Shalit's kidnapping. HRW has in the past three years released
no more than a token demand for Shalit's release, but today rightly called
his detention 'cruel and inhumane'.
Shalit has been denied even one visit by the International Red Cross and
access to his family has been limited to three letters, a grave
contravention of one of the foundations of international humanitarian law.
HRW makes clear that Hamas has 'no excuse' for this violation.
However, HRW's statement is compromised by characteristically using Shalit's
fate as an opportunity to erroneously condemn Israel for 'collective
punishment' in Gaza. As noted by NGO Monitor, HRW and other NGOs have
often couched sympathy for Shalit's fate with condemnation of alleged
Israeli 'war crimes'.
Other major international human rights NGOs such as Amnesty International
and Oxfam retain a virtual silence over Shalit's fate, making comment only
in the context of wider issues. Beyond isolated examples, Amnesty
International, an organization founded to campaign on behalf of political
prisoners, has done nothing to campaign for Shalit's fundamental human
rights.
NGO Monitor's Executive Director, Prof Gerald Steinberg said, "Today's
statement by Human Rights Watch is a positive development for an
organization which has all but ignored Gilad Shalit's fate for the past
three years and rarely misses an opportunity to criticize Israel. It
remains to be seen whether this reflects a changing attitude within HRW.
Meanwhile, the continued silence of groups such as Amnesty International
over Shalit is a stain upon the international human rights community."
---------- ENDS ------------
Editors Notes:
NGO Monitor was founded to promote transparency, critical analysis and
debate on the political role of human rights organizations. For more
information, see our website at
www.ngo-monitor.org
For further information, comment or interviews contact Dan Kosky
+972 (0) 546-305-504
NGO Monitor - 1, Ben Maimon Blvd. - Jerusalem 92262 - Israel - T:
+972-2-566-1020
F: +972-77-511-7030
E: dan.kosky@ngo-monitor.org

[Mediocrates]

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=44089

UN-NGO Collaboration: The Ongoing Demonization of Israel
NGO Monitor
June 24, 2009
[For annotated version
www.ngo-monitor.org/article/un_ngo_collaboration_the_ongoing_demonization_of_i srael
]
On June 8-10, 2009, the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable
Rights of the Palestinian People held one of its frequent conferences in
Jakarta, Indonesia. Although the conference objective was ostensibly to
"provide greater support for [a] two state solution," the program's agenda
included: the "question of Palestine," "promoting support for the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people through the United Nations
system," "reaching decision-makers and politicians," "participating in
international campaigns to end the occupation," and "a just solution of the
issue of Jerusalem." Holding a highly one-sided event in a country that does
not have diplomatic relations with Israel, has the world's largest Islamic
population, and is a member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)
is counterproductive to promoting peace through understanding between Israel
and the Islamic world.
As in past committee "conferences," many speakers were officials from highly
politicized NGOs, including Joharah Baker of Miftah and Daniel Seidemann of
Ir Amim. Miftah and Ir Amim, NGOs funded by the EU, advocate and campaign
for Palestinian positions, including on Jerusalem. Miftah's website declares
its goal is to "disseminate the Palestinian narrative and discourse
globally."
In her presentation in Indonesia, Ms. Baker highlighted the exclusively
Palestinian position, claiming that "the conflict was not about Hamas, Fatah
or even a military conflict. It was about ending an illegal Israeli
occupation..." She speciously argued that the media only references
"Palestinian 'terror' and Israel's 'necessary retaliation,'" instead of
considering "the possibility that suicide bombings [are] a symptom of a much
bigger problem."
In his contribution to this anti-Israel exercise, Mr. Seidmann (from Ir
Amim) asserted that what he defined as new "[m]assive settlements.would cut
East Jerusalem off from the West Bank, sounding the death knell for a
two-State solution" and home demolitions are a "concerted attempt to reduce
the Palestinian presence at that volcanic core." Seidmann also declared that
"[t]he Government supported the steamrolling of the competing narratives in
Jerusalem into an exclusionary settler narrative." No Israeli rebuttal or
neutral analysis was included, as is the case for other NGO meetings
organized by this committee.
Another NGO representative, Sonja Karkar of Women for Palestine (Australia),
demonized Israel, saying "the Palestinian struggle against Israel's
occupation, ethnic cleansing and institutionalized apartheid over 61 years
was the defining struggle of the twenty-first century." She accused Israel
of "racist ideology," declared Israel "the most prolonged colonial
enterprise of modern times," and blamed "Zionist organizations" in Australia
for "play[ing] a significant role in legitimizing the illegal occupation at
the highest governmental and business levels." In another form of
demonization, she declared "[t]he savagery of Israel's recent attacks on
Gaza," and called for "global campaigns of boycott, divestment and
sanctions" to make Israel "hurt economically and politically."
Other speakers and Israeli experts (whose entry into Indonesia appeared to
be conditional on opposition to Israeli government policy) similarly
represented a very narrow section of the political spectrum, and never
departed from the Palestinian narrative and agenda. As such, it was highly
misleading.
This Committee, and its events, is yet another example of how UN-NGO
collaboration contributes to the intensification of the conflict, weakens
universal human rights, and erodes the legitimacy of the UN. As with the
Durban process, the Human Rights Council, CERD, UPR, Committee Against
Torture, and other forums, the UN provides a platform for the demonization
of Israel by NGOs. Correspondingly, outside the UN, these organizations and
their officials provide additional legitimacy, visibility, and soft-power
influence for biased campaigns.
NGO Monitor - 1, Ben Maimon Blvd. - Jerusalem 92262 - Israel - T:
+972-2-566-1020
F: +972-77-511-7030
E: dan.kosky@ngo-monitor.org
IMRA is now also on Twitter
http://twitter.com/IMRA_UPDATES

[maven]

Sarkozi Netanyahu Discussions On Shalit

By Avi Issacharoff and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents

During their meeting in Paris last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he should seek the assistance of Syria and Qatar to speed up the talks for releasing abducted soldier Gilad Shalit.

Sarkozy said France could ask the leaders of the two Arab countries to seek Hamas' consent for either a sign of life from Shalit or permission for a visit by the Red Cross.

Sarkozy also told Netanyahu that during the Olmert administration he had contributed to exchanges on the Shalit affair through his ties with Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa. Both leaders have regular contact with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal, who is based in Damascus.

Sarkozy also told Netanyahu that the release of Shalit, who has been held in Gaza for three years now, is "key to a change in the situation in the area." But Sarkozy also stressed that "you will have to release prisoners, otherwise there will be no deal."

Meanwhile, at the cabinet meeting Sunday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak refuted reports of a breakthrough in the negotiations to bring Shalit home.

"Not a day goes by that we do not think of Gilad Shalit," he said. "Not a day goes by that the best minds in the country are not working on the issue.

"The reports are not correct and they may even be damaging, and in this matter the less we talk and the more we focus on doing, the better."

Hamas also issued an official statement denying any progress on Shalit. The Hamas official assigned to the Shalit case, Osama al-Muzaini, said there had been no progress on the matter since Netanyahu assumed office.

Muzaini said no new Israeli offer on Shalit had been received, though the soldier was alive and had received the letter sent to him by his family through former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

Regarding the negotiations, Muzaini said the latest Israeli offer had been for the release of 325 prisoners out of a list of 450 demanded by Hamas. However, he said Israel demanded that 125 of the 325 prisoners would be exiled from the West Bank.

Muzaini said that many of the prisoners had been imprisoned for life, and that Israel had offered to release 550 others who had been jailed for five to seven years. Their terms would be completed soon.

Contract negotiator

Unlike his predecessors, the newly appointed Israeli negotiator to win Shalit's release, Hagai Hadas, is employed as an external consultant and is being paid by the Prime Minister's Office, Channel 10 reported yesterday.

Continued:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1096315.html

[maven]

Hamas and Egypt: Shalit 'video deal' is not a breakthrough

By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents

The video of Gilad Shalit will be handed to government officials Friday, through the German mediator in the negotiations for the captured soldier's release. In exchange, Israel is releasing 20 female Palestinian prisoners. Nineteen are to be released Friday, and the other woman on Sunday.

Top civilian and military officials in Israel say they hope a deal for Shalit's release can be completed in the coming months. They base their cautious optimism on the success of the German mediator in creating a negotiating mechanism that both Israel and Hamas can accept, as well as on the fact that this first stage in the swap has raised the level of mutual trust in the talks.

Egyptian sources involved in the negotiations, as well as Hamas sources, emphasized Thursday, however, that the "video deal" is not a breakthrough and the negotiations for Shalit's release can be expected to continue for some time. The Egyptian sources said the deal has nothing to do with the main prize. "It's a positive step, but it must be understood that the work on the comprehensive deal is continuous and there are significant areas of disagreement," one Egyptian source said.

Sources in Hamas said that most of the contention now is over a group of prisoners serving life terms, as well as a way to allow for the release of other prisoners who Israel is refusing to permit to return to their homes in the West Bank. "There is disagreement over the expulsion of dozens of prisoners," one Hamas source said, "and how long they'll be forced to remain in exile. Hamas is demanding that their exile be limited in time."

The Israeli version is that both parties recently worked out an agreement of principles that outlines the timetable and stages of the final swap.

The one-minute video of Shalit is to be handed over Friday to Haggai Hadas, who heads the Israeli negotiating team. He will give a copy later Friday to Shalit's family, which is expected to view it sometime during the afternoon at their home in the rural Galilee community of Mitzpeh Hila. It will be the first time that they have seen video footage of Gilad since his capture in June 2006

The tape will also be seen Friday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the heads of the country's military.

At around the same time that the tape is being handed over to Hadas, the Palestinian prisoners are to be taken from the Sharon Prison to Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah. Those who live in the West Bank will then be allowed to return to their homes.

As of last night no official announcement had been moved as to whether copies of the video would be given to Israeli media outlets for broadcast. The negotiating teams seem to be leaning toward preventing its distribution in order to avoid the expected groundswell of public pressure on the cabinet to approve an immediate deal for Shalit's release, even at the expense of giving in to Hamas' demands. Senior Hamas officials said Thursday that the decision about the tape's broadcast is Israel's to make.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1118387.html

All honour to Israel's humanity in releasing ninteen terrorists in exchange for one video, bitter a pill as that is to swallow. I am pleased for Gilad that he has the comfort of knowing, that is hoping that he does know, that the video has reached his family and his country.

[dayag]

Yes, far better to release thousands of terrorists than risk the life of a soldier... :tdown:


(IsraelNN.com) Israel knows exactly where kidnapped IDF St. Sgt. Gilad Shalit is being held captive and has the location under constant surveillance, according to a senior Israeli defense official quoted in a report published over the weekend by Arabic international daily A-sharq al-Awsat.

The fear that Shalit might get hurt or killed is preventing the launching of an operation to storm the location, said the report. In addition, Hamas is aware that Israel knows Shalit’s location and has responded by surrounding the area with explosives in a 400-500 meter radius and issued a directive to kill the soldier if Israel attacks...

source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133685

[maven]

Yes, far better to release thousands of terrorists than risk the life of a soldier... :tdown:



source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133685Don't worry, we know where the terrorists live, we can f*** them again anytime we want. But Gilad Shalit is not a soldier in the normal sense of the world...he is a conscript, and therefore the state has a special responsibility to him and his family.

[dayag]

Don't worry, we know where the terrorists live, we can f*** them again anytime we want. But Gilad Shalit is not a soldier in the normal sense of the world...he is a conscript, and therefore the state has a special responsibility to him and his family.

Also, we need to give Richard Goldstone something to gripe about. Cast Lead II! :clap:

[bararallu]

As hard as it is to do something like this./.. if the govt knows where the kid is hidden then I'd raid the area, whether he survives or not is besides the point. If it is deemed that a raid is impossible and too many otehr kids would die, I'd drop a 1000 pound bomb on the area and have a funeral. Yes his parents will never forgive the rest of us, but other parents will pay less for this sort of capitulation.

[maven]

As hard as it is to do something like this./.. if the govt knows where the kid is hidden then I'd raid the area, whether he survives or not is besides the point. If it is deemed that a raid is impossible and too many other kids would die, I'd drop a 1000 pound bomb on the area and have a funeral. Yes his parents will never forgive the rest of us, but other parents will pay less for this sort of capitulation.If he had volunteered then I agree he would die serving his country in the way you suggest, though blowing him up would really set the pesky anti-draft movement into overdrive which could undermine Israel even more.

Personally I would still go for the Russian solution, drop chemical bombs to put everyone in the immediate locality to sleep, bomb all buildings around for a radius of several thousand yards to take out snipers and booby-traps and carry the whole operation out from hovering helicopters. If Gilad dies that way at least the family would know he had died in a rescue attempt rather than being deliberatly taken out.

Having ended the operation I would then drop the 1000 lb bomb on the building.

'Israel knows where Schalit is held'
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Israel knows the whereabouts of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit, a senior Jerusalem official told London-based newspaper Asharq Alawsat on Sunday.

The official said that the government knew where Schalit was initially taken immediately after his kidnapping, that it had consistently known where he was being held and that Hamas was aware of this.

Israel has avoided carrying out a rescue operation in order to prevent Schalit from being harmed, the official reportedly said. Furthermore, Hamas has wrecked the chances of an Israeli military maneuver by booby trapping the location where Schalit is being held and placing explosive devices nearly half a kilometer around the hideout, he was quoted as saying.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254393092156&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

(The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report).

Dayag:
Yes, far better to release thousands of terrorists than risk the life of a soldier...Attempted rescue would be the more honorable way. Bibi is always tougher in opposition than in government, I can never understand why.

[dayag]

The following was received via email from AZM:



Gilad Shalit was kidnapped four long years ago...four years of endless suffering and agony. To the hostage, time itself is torture. It becomes an enemy. Filled with uncertainty, his time is different from ours. His waiting is not like ours. His minutes are longer than ours. When will all good, decent and sensitive men and women mobilize their energy to put an end to this human scandal? They must be made to realize that their silence only helps the jailer, never the prisoner. – Elie Wiesel

On August 28, Gilad will mark his 24th birthday – his fifth in captivity. Two weeks later, while Jews across the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah with family and friends, Gilad remains alone and his family will be all too aware of their missing son and brother. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is launching a new website, www.giladgreetings.org, to provide people across the United States, in Israel and around the world a vehicle to express their solidarity with Gilad and his family.

If you are making a trip to Israel, there are opportunities to show your solidarity while you are there. Visit the AZM website for a selection of ideas:

Please help spread the word about www.giladgreetings.org and urge your friends and family to visit the site and send a message to Gilad.

[Madeline]

Thank you for posting this. I will certainly pass this around.

[dayag]

Thank you for posting this. I will certainly pass this around.

Thanks, Madeline. :)

[jfronen]

We are so proud of the work done by Gal Sitty here in LA.

Here is a video article about what he and others did to create awareness for the Shalit Family.

http://www.youtube.com/shaulina7#p/u/21/YeEC39VmPXE

http://www.youtube.com/shaulina7#p/u/35/M1rBdEtw7fY

Please check out our video blog on What's New in LA

http://www.whatsnewla.info