The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) today commended Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for adopting a tough stance with regard to securing the release of Israeli MIA Gilad Schalit.� In a conversation with United States Mideast envoy Senator George Mitchell, Olmert stated that the crossings in and out of Gaza will not be opened for anything other than humanitarian aid until a solution is reached concerning the safe return of Schalit.
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“We applaud Prime Minister Olmert for drawing a line in the sand and taking a tough stance in an effort to bring Gilad Schalit home,” said NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky.� “Israel should do nothing to help the Palestinians until they help secure Gilad Schalit’s freedom.� Until Gilad Schalit is safely returned to his family, the Israeli government should not make concessions of any kind to the terrorists responsible for his capture.� We can no longer allow a young Israeli soldier, a Jewish soul, to languish in captivity while his captors continue to use his life as a bargaining chip in an attempt to achieve their terrorist goals.� It is time for Gilad Schalit to come home.”
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Schalit was captured by Hamas on June 25, 2006, and has been held captive in Gaza ever since.� Since Gilad Schalit was captured two-and-a-half years ago, the National Council of Young Israel has led a campaign to pray for his well-being and safe return.

(YWN Desk – NYC)