A Sad Day -

Three years ago today (June 25, 2009), not far from the Israeli-Egyptian border, near the fence that separates Israel and Hamas controlled Gaza, a group of seven Hamas terrorists entered Israel through a tunnel dug under the fence and attacked an Israeli convoy, killing two soldiers, injuring five others, and abducting one, dragging him across the de-facto border into Gaza. The attack was unprovoked and clearly in violation of Israel’s sovereignty.

For the next three years, Gilad Shalit, born on August 21, 1986 in Nahariya, Israel, the son of Aviva and Noam Shalit and the brother of Yoel and Hadas, has been a prisoner of Hamas, the terrorist group that forcibly took control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority.

Gilad entered the military in July of 2005, just about a year before his abduction, just like almost every Israeli, and he entered the armored corps, like his brother Yoel before him.

For a year, nothing was heard about him or from him or from his captors. Then, on June 25, 2007, an audio tape with his voice was released by Hamas. Since then, only rumors and unsubstantiated stories have circulated about his welfare.

Governments make noise, leaders make speeches, legislatures pass resolutions and condemnations. He remains isolated, alone, a prisoner of a deadly, terror group bent on the destruction of Israel.

Rallies are held, promises are made, meetings are convened and still he sits, unheard, somewhere in Gaza, maybe?; alive?; hopefully; healthy?, who knows?

Will we get Gilad back? What will be our cost? Where is the outrage by the governments who want peace? Why would we want to sit and talk without conditions? There is a condition; the return of this young man to his family, his nation, his friends. Bring Gilad home. Three years is enough.


Neal Elyakin, Ann Arbor
June 25, 2009