Today marks since the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and resolutions calling for his immediate and unconditional release are expected to be overwhelmingly approved this week by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Shalit was wounded and taken hostage by Hamas militants on June 25, 2006.  For the last four years, Hamas, in contravention of accepted international behavior, has forbidden all humanitarian assistance and visits by human rights organizations wishing to assess his condition, including an attempt by the Red Cross as recently as this week.

The Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey joins other federations across the country as well as JCPA (Council for Public Affairs) in encouraging both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to call for Gilad Shalit's immediate and unconditional release.  The House resolution, House Resolution 1359, was introduced by U.S. Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Dan Burton (R-IN).  A similar effort is currently underway in the upper chamber led by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and George Voinovich (R-OH). 

“It is hard to believe that four years have gone by and Gilad remains cut off from his family, “said Stanley Stone, Executive Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey.  “The way Hamas is treating him is like a persona non grata and even worse.  Where is the world outrage and condemnation over this?  We must continue to press the United Nations and all the major powers in the world and demand that he be released now.”

The JCPA leadership expressed similar sentiments.  "Four years after Gilad Shalit was illegally captured by Hamas fighters, he remains in captivity with little known of his condition," said Dr. Conrad Giles and Rabbi Steve Gutow, chair and president respectively of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.  "His captors continue to ignore international pleas for his release and astonishingly forbid international aid groups any access to him to report on his condition.  This week, the U.S. Congress is expected to approve resolutions calling for Shalit's immediate and unconditional release.  It is past time for Hamas to stop playing games with this young man's life and return him to his family and friends."