Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Cabinet this week that he had "doubts and hesitations" when he agreed to the June 19 truce with Hamas. However, records show that the truce was doomed from the beginning and that he stated six months ago that freeing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was an "inseparable" part of the agreement.
Prime Minister Olmert's reported comments to the Cabinet this week referred to the goals of the truce to stop weapons smuggling and halt terrorist attacks but made no mention of Shalit, who was kidnapped by Gaza terrorists in June, 2006.
However, several hours before the June 19 truce took effect, he told a philanthropic convention, "Gilad Shalit's release is inseparable from the agreement on the conditions of the ceasefire."
Gilad Shalit's release is inseparable from the agreement on the conditions of the ceasefire.
He added at the time, "If the terror attacks continue Israel will commit itself to acting towards halting any threat to its citizens. The cabinet has decided to order the Defense Minister and the IDF to be prepared for any operation required on short notice."
Several weeks ago, Prime Minister Olmert told the Cabinet that he could not recommend counterterrorist operations because he was waiting for the IDF to submit plans. Senior military offices were miffed by the statement and said they already had submitted several different alternatives in case the ceasefire broke down.
The truce began with the understanding that all terrorist organizations would stop attacking Israel, which in turn would halt all counterterrorist actions in Gaza and would open the Gaza crossings. The Rafiah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was to remain closed until Shalit was freed.
Statements by both Israeli and Hamas leaders show that there never was any mutual agreement, at least not in public, concerning Shalit.
There was not even any agreement on the beginning of the truce, which Egypt announced would begin at 6 a.m. Thursday, June 19. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said at the time, "We are currently examining the possibility of reaching a truce in the near future – but it's too early to announce it."
He added, "The IDF is prepared for any development, but it is important to maximize the chance for a truce in order to promote calm among the Gaza vicinity communities as well as negotiating to release Gilad Shalit."
Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told a press conference in Gaza, "There is no connection between the ceasefire and Shalit," a declaration that directly contradicted Prime Minister Olmert's statement.
One of the greatest doubters of success of the agreement was the United States State Department. Its spokesman Tom Casey told reporters at the time, "Saying you have a loaded gun to my head but you are not going to fire it today is far different than taking the gun down, locking it up and saying you're not going to use it again." He added that the truce "hardly takes Hamas out of the terrorism business."
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann (Kadima) referred to the agreement as a "strategic mistake" and added, "If we open the crossings before Shalit is returned, this will prove that the entire system has gone mad." Two other Kadima ministers, Shaul Mofaz and Chaim Ramon, also criticized the agreement but when the truce came up for a Cabinet vote, they abstained rather than cast negative votes.
Ron Arad's Wife Also Objected
Tami Arad, wife of missing-in-action (MIA) flight navigator Ron Arad, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Olmert, "Captivity is a terminal disease."
Her letter was attached to a petition filed with the High Court of Justice by Shalit's father Noam to demand that the crossings remain closed until his son is released. The court dismissed the petition, which claimed that the agreement violated government commitments and ignored a Ministerial Defense Committee decision to directly tie the soldier's release with the ceasefire.
Less than a week after the agreement went into effect, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) terrorist organization, which along with Hamas coordinated the terrorist attack that resulted in Shalit's abduction as well as the deaths of two other soldiers, clearly stated the truce was not connected with captive soldier's release.
"Israel must comply with our demands, otherwise Shalit will not see the light of day," its spokesman Abu Mujahid said. "We demand the release of the prisoners' sentences to long jail terms. Without their release, Shalit will remain in our hands for many years to come."
Two weeks later, Hamas accused Israel of delaying negotiations and of closing the Gaza crossings following the initial rocket attack that violated the truce. Hamas claimed that the rival Fatah faction was responsible for the firing of a Kassam rocket on Israel.