Shalit to bereaved parents: Don’t sacrifice my son
Families who lost loved ones to terror attacks stage rally across from Shalit family's protest tent in Jerusalem, say cabinet's consent to release Palestinian prisoners premature. Kidnapped soldier's father: Let them look us in the eyes and say it's okay to abandon Gilad
Kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit's parents were not the only ones to make their way to Jerusalem Sunday morning, as bereaved parents of terror victims set up camp across from their tent, located just outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's residence in the capital.
Noam and Aviva moved into a protest tent outside Olmert's home earlier Sunday, as means of countering a statement he made over the weekend, suggesting that the demonstrations calling for Shalit's release were unhelpful.
The bereaved parents, who object the pending release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of Israel's efforts to secure the release of the Hamas-held soldier, also staged a protest rally outside the Prime Minister's Office.
"We are here as citizens who have the right to speak against the release of terrorists and murderers. We have a clear understanding of what a mass release means, especially when these people keep saying they intend to slaughter Jews," Yossi Mendelevich, who lost his son to a 2003 terror attack in Haifa, told Ynet.
Yossi Tzur, who lost his son in the same attack, reiterated the sentiment: "The decision-makers have to focus on the rationale rather than give into blackmail. These terrorists will keep on killing… I call on the ministers to draw the line here and not allow a sovereign state to bow to a terror organization.
Premature decision? Yossi Tzur (L) (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)
"There are still things that can be done before prisoners are released, from a military campaign to halting the transfer of funds to Gaza," he added.
Representatives of the bereaved parents said that they sympathize with the Shalits' pain and would like nothing more than to see their son's safe return.
"This is a complex dilemma," said Noam Shalit,"but if bereaved parents can look us in the eyes and say that it is okay to sacrifice a captive soldier, to just abandon him, let them come out and say it! Let them say it to us and to the rest of the IDF's soldiers.
"We have no intention of sparring with bereaved families because we know they are driven by their pain and we understand them," he added. "There is no 'righter way' here, this is about saving a child's life. Everyone is entitled to their opinion."
The bereaved parents also delivered letters to the ministers, urging them not to release murderers: "The gravity of this matter has prompted us to ask that you meet with us in person to hear our case," said one of the letters.
"We promised our slain children that their killers would be brought to justice and moreover, we promised our living children that we will not abandon (the cause). The deal which you are about to strike will only lead to more abductions and to a new wave of terror. It would render Hamas stronger and Israel weaker," the letter said.
Ronen Medzini contributed to this report
