Audio: Gilad Shalit’s hostage tape
posted at 9:12 am on June 25, 2007 by Allahpundit
Fewer than 1% of our readers will be able to understand it but it’s always worth posting primary sources. You never know what kind of interesting feedback you’ll get. For those who don’t speak Hebrew, you’ll find a translation here. The text makes painfully clear that it’s coerced, but in case you need an expert opinion:
Channel 2 analyst Ehud Ya’ari said immediately following the airing of Schalit’s voice that it was “perfectly clear, without a had not been written by Schalit himself.
Ya’ari explained that the grammatical structure of the text and subtle mistakes that a native Israeli would not make pointed to the fact that the text had been written by the captors.
The estimation is that Hamas released an audio tape of Schalit as opposed to a video in order to avoid accusations of lying about Schalit’s condition.
The occasion, incidentally, is the first anniversary of his capture in a cross-border raid last June. There’s no indication of when it was recorded, but according to Reuters, he’s currently being held in a cozy two-room dungeon in Rafah. By whom? Why, by the “military wing” of Gaza’s new rulers, Hamas. Savor the absurdity of this tape being released within 24 hours of the tape of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, whose freedom Hamas has vowed to win in its new role as sovereign and protector of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In related news, Ayman al-Zawahiri makes a plea on behalf of murderers while Mahmoud Abbas does the same.
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Turns out I do have something to say. This kid is dead. No doubt he recorded this, but there has been absolutely no indication when and where.
No IDF soldier ends up in the terrorist’s company for this long. There’s no way this kid’s still alive. No way.
Yeah, I’m a bit the pessimist when it comes to this story.
mjk on June 25, 2007 at 9:16 AM
If Shalit is alive, I am very happy for him and his family. I believe the terrorist make these tapes just to be cruel. They have no intention of releasing Shalit or Johnson. I hate these people. I always have, and I always will.
Blake on June 25, 2007 at 9:27 AM
If the IDF knew where he was then MATKAL and S’13 would have ended this long ago. The ‘disinterest’ is simply Israel saying ‘give him back alive, period’. God bless this young man, his family and his nation.
Limerick on June 25, 2007 at 9:38 AM
I think that if we actually knew where he was, we would’ve had an extraction force in there already. It’s a sad situation.
amerpundit on June 25, 2007 at 9:41 AM
It’s hard for me to keep track of whats going on in the Middle East, but I thought one of the conditions for the “ceasefire” with Lebanon last year was the return of Shalit and another member of the Israeli military that was kidnapped. Or maybe I’m confused.
vcferlita on June 25, 2007 at 9:49 AM
I’m sure it was a condition, but no one ever fulfills these conditions and even the Israelis know better than to believe that the conditions will be fulfilled.
Anytime any other IDF soldier is returned, it’s usually in a body bag. Or to a mental institution.
mjk on June 25, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Man, I wish I had brought my earphones to work today…
AlexB on June 25, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Remind me again why the Israelis elected Olmert…. Talk about buyer’s remorse.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on June 25, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Olmert rode in on Ariel Sharon’s coat tails. That’s the only reason why he managed to get elected.
Good Lord, even Bibi Netanyahu is a better choice than this schmuck (and Bibi reminds me of a used car salesman). At least Bibi calls it the way he sees it.
mjk on June 25, 2007 at 10:23 AM
Israel should cut off all water, electricty and sewage to Gaza until he is freed.
Hilts on June 25, 2007 at 10:59 AM
In lieu of that, how about this?
I’m glad to hear he is alive, wished they’d go get him.
Spirit of 1776 on June 25, 2007 at 11:15 AM
I was in Israel last month…I talked to two former Israeli soldiers, and they said that Israel knows exactly where all the bigshot guys that they need to kill are, but can’t because they’re all hiding in heavy populated areas. They even said that sometimes they use rubber bullets to just push their enemies back, but not kill them.
Why? It’s because Israel always gets so much international bull**** for simply trying to stay alive, while everyone turns a blind eye to the real evil.
emmaline1138 on June 25, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Will the real U.N. please stand up…?
VolMagic on June 25, 2007 at 3:29 PM
Can someone please just let the Christian Palestinians stay and …. or commit …….. on these animalistic Palestinians?
Tim Burton on June 25, 2007 at 4:49 PM
Did anyone ever really believe that they would be released, as promised, if the Israelis pulled out of Lebanon AGAIN…? The UN, maliciously, equates the, NECESSARY, Israeli incursions into Lebanon and the ,UNAVOIDABLE, killing of civilians there (due to the cowardly tactics of the HezbuAllah) with the, TERRORIST, rocket launchings into Israel’s civilian neighborhoods. And some believe that WE couldn’t end up in a situation similar to that of the Israelis… I think it’s possible because the UN is firmly in the terrorists camp on each and every action they take. It’s high time they STARTED carrying out their charter.
Rugged Individual on June 26, 2007 at 3:56 AM