Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual leader of the Shas party and one of Israel’s most influential rabbis, met Tuesday morning with Jimmy Carter. The rabbi asked the former American president to do what he could to ensure that Gilad Shalit is freed from Hamas captivity.
Shalit was captured by Hamas in June 2006, and has not been seen since by Israeli or neutral bodies.
“You and other leaders must exert efforts during these moments,” Rabbi Yosef told the former president, “and do everything to bring about Shalit’s release. You have influence and you can make a difference.”
Yishai Sums Up for Carter
Interior Minister Eli Yishai, the political leader of Shas, also took part in the meeting. “Israel has taken many steps towards peace,” he told Carter, “while the other side has not even deigned to recognize our existence.”
Carter said that following his meeting with Minister Yishai over a year ago, the Shalit family received a letter from Gilad. “I hope that further cooperation will bring about his release altogether,” Carter said.
The letter by Gilad that was received in June 2008 was the third one since he was taken captive – and no sign of life has been heard from him since. A short tape recording was received within the first year of his captivity as well.
Carter and The Elders
Carter is in Israel with a group of prominent former statesmen and business leaders on a “peace” visit. The group, known as "The Elders," also includes South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, British business executive Richard Branson, and former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
The delegation will meet with PA prime minister Salam Fayyad of Fatah on Wednesday, as well as with Arab residents of Samaria. It is not clear whether the group will visit Gaza, run by Fatah’s rival Hamas.
Two months ago, Carter – a known critic of the Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria – visited one such settlement, N’vei Daniel in Gush Etzion, and said that it should be one of those permitted to remain in place in the framework of a final peace arrangement with the Palestinian Authority.