Member of Knesset Ami Ayalon, who resigned from the government Sunday, requested that the cabinet work to free kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Ayalon resigned from the Labor party last month, and has now announced his intention to retire from politics.

Ayalon told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: “This is my last word as a minister in the government – We must bring Gilad Shalit home.” He explained that as a past army commander and former head of the Shabak, Israel must either free Shalit through a military operation or through negotiations with Hamas.