Do your bit for Gilad

AS Gilad Shalit begins his fifth year in captivity on Friday, The AJN has launched a new campaign on behalf of Australian Jewry to show the world the young soldier has not been forgotten and to help bring him home.

Seized by Palestinian terrorists on June 25, 2006, the 23-year-old has been held hostage in Gaza ever since. In the four years since he was kidnapped, Gilad has been denied contact with his family and, in violation of international law, the Hamas regime has refused the International Red Cross access to him.

This week, in an initiative that has received backing from Gilad’s family and garnered support from senior communal leaders, The AJN has published a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, urging him to step up his efforts to secure Gilad’s release.

The letter, printed on page 13 for readers to cut out, sign and send back to us — and also downloadable from our website — details the despair felt at the soldier’s continued captivity. It concludes: “I implore you to use all your influence as Secretary-General of the United Nations to bring this young man home.

The United Nations must demand his immediate release and, pending that outcome, it must exert all necessary pressure to ensure that Hamas affords him his basic human rights in accordance with international law. For the sake of Gilad Shalit, for the sake of his family, and for the advancement of a just peace in the Middle East, it is incumbent on you and the institution you head to take a public stand on this issue and proactively pursue all paths that will lead to his freedom.”

To give each one of us the chance to add our voice to the chorus calling for his freedom, we will be forwarding all the signed letters we receive to Ban Ki-Moon.
Informed of the campaign, Gilad’s father Noam said: “We support it. All people, Jewish and non-Jewish, whoever cares about human rights, should demand that Gilad be freed.”

Community leaders also threw their support behind the letter. “I commend The AJN for this initiative, said president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Robert Goot. “It is well past time for respected middle powers, like Australia, to focus international attention on the dire plight of Gilad Shalit and his family, who have been deprived of all contact with one another for four years. ”

The sentiment was echoed by president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) John Searle, who said: “The JCCV fully supports The AJN’s call to Ban Ki-Moon to call for Gilad’s immediate release. Often, in situations like this, we feel powerless to make a difference.

“By signing this letter ‚Ķ¬† we are making a statement; we are exerting pressure and hopefully we will be making a difference.”

President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies Robin Margo concurred, adding:”It is horrifying to think what that young person and his family are enduring.

“The silence of most of Israel’s critics about his fate in Gaza is a telling mark of their lack of genuine humanitarian concern.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester met with Noam Shalit in Israel this week. “The Shalits are aware of our campaign in Australia and they asked that we do not waiver in our support for their cause,” he said.

“On the fourth anniversary of Gilad Shalit’s cruel incarceration, it is absolutely critical that the world exerts such pressure as is necessary on Hamas and its sponsors to return him to his family.”

AJN STAFF