By Josh Basson, , Seattle
In 2005, Israel gave up all of Gaza with hopes for peace. Indeed, Israel evacuated 9,000 Israeli civilians from Gaza. What has Israel gotten in return? More than 8,000 rockets shot toward Israel — rockets that are aimed at innocent Israeli civilians — and are still coming today.
A year after Israel gave up Gaza, Iran-backed Hamas kidnapped Israel Defense Forces staff sergeant Gilad Shalit. Shalit was on patrol on the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza when seven terrorists infiltrated Israel and carried out the attack, kidnapping him. In violation of the Geneva Convention, the terrorist group denied the Red Cross access to Gilad Shalit.
News reports indicate that the Red Cross is again trying to see him. No prisoner exchange should be made with Hamas until the Red Cross has access to him.
Israeli officials, at the urging of the Israeli public, have doggedly pursued Shalit’s release because of the high value Israeli and Jewish society places on human life.
Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak stressed that freeing Shalit was a top priority of Israel’s recent defensive operation in Gaza and that Israel was constantly working to ensure his release. Yet, Israel stopped their defensive efforts without Shalit being freed. The time to free him is now.
America should not send any of our tax money to help Hamas-led Gaza until they stop shooting rockets into Israel and free Gilad Shalit.