Eli Yishai joins Schalit marchInterior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) also joined the march. He told Israel Radio that such marches were the right way to go about securing Schalit’s release. He called for the establishment of clear rules about the price that would be paid for prisoners of war in order to reduce the risk of future kidnappings.Yishai added that he would be willing to talk with Hamas if it would help secure the soldier’s release. In New York Thursday, Netanyahu suggested to former US president Bill Clinton that he serve as an emissary to Hamas in order to facilitate the release of Schalit. He said that Clinton’s success in freeing the US journalists captured in North Korea showed that he had an ability to carry out such missions.The prime minister has also said that he would release 1,000 security prisoners for Schalit, including 450 who belong to Hamas, but has balked at Hamas’s demand to free terrorists he considers highly dangerous, because of concerns that they would kill more Israelis.On Thursday night, Aviva Schalit said that there were security assessments according to which the IDF could neutralize that threat.Those who opposed the Schalit campaign held a number of small demonstrations in Jerusalem on the outskirts of the march, at which they urged the government not to endanger the lives of Israelis by releasing terrorists.At the Schalit rally, however, a number of former captives and a terror victim said they felt the Hamas price was worth paying.Among the speakers at the rally was a former captive from the Air France plane which was hijacked to Entebbe in Uganda in 1976.Shai Gross said that he owed his life to Netanyahu’s brother Yoni, who was killed as he led the rescue mission to free him and the other hostages. “My son was named for [Yoni] and without him, my son would not have come into this world,” said this speaker. “Go forward, Mr. Prime Minister, and release Gilad. The nation is behind you.”Herb Keinon contributed to this report.
Aviva Schalit: 'Don't abandon my son'
Netanyahu to meet family; PM asks Bill Clinton to be envoy to Hamas.
Eli Yishai joins Schalit marchInterior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) also joined the march. He told Israel Radio that such marches were the right way to go about securing Schalit’s release. He called for the establishment of clear rules about the price that would be paid for prisoners of war in order to reduce the risk of future kidnappings.Yishai added that he would be willing to talk with Hamas if it would help secure the soldier’s release. In New York Thursday, Netanyahu suggested to former US president Bill Clinton that he serve as an emissary to Hamas in order to facilitate the release of Schalit. He said that Clinton’s success in freeing the US journalists captured in North Korea showed that he had an ability to carry out such missions.The prime minister has also said that he would release 1,000 security prisoners for Schalit, including 450 who belong to Hamas, but has balked at Hamas’s demand to free terrorists he considers highly dangerous, because of concerns that they would kill more Israelis.On Thursday night, Aviva Schalit said that there were security assessments according to which the IDF could neutralize that threat.Those who opposed the Schalit campaign held a number of small demonstrations in Jerusalem on the outskirts of the march, at which they urged the government not to endanger the lives of Israelis by releasing terrorists.At the Schalit rally, however, a number of former captives and a terror victim said they felt the Hamas price was worth paying.Among the speakers at the rally was a former captive from the Air France plane which was hijacked to Entebbe in Uganda in 1976.Shai Gross said that he owed his life to Netanyahu’s brother Yoni, who was killed as he led the rescue mission to free him and the other hostages. “My son was named for [Yoni] and without him, my son would not have come into this world,” said this speaker. “Go forward, Mr. Prime Minister, and release Gilad. The nation is behind you.”Herb Keinon contributed to this report.