Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner Cabinet has met four times in two days to discuss a prisoner swap to free Gilad Shalit.
A meeting of the prime minister’s seven senior ministers ended Monday afternoon with no vote. They were set to continue debating later in the day.
Following the meeting, Netanyahu met with Shalit’s parents, Noam and Aviva.
“The process is not over, but I expect it to be over soon,” Noam Shalit told reporters Monday afternoon. “We mainly came to listen. I am no longer optimistic, but not pessimistic either.”
Also Monday, members of the Campaign to Free Gilad Shalit demonstrated for the soldier’s release in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, holding life-sized cardboard cutouts of Shalit.
Shalit’s parents on Sunday personally delivered a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office before the start of the third meeting. They did not see Netanyahu.
“We feel that the coming days will be fateful for our beloved son Gilad,” Noam and Aviva Shalit wrote in their letter. “We are monitoring with concern and hope the movements of the government, and of yourself, at its head, in your sincere efforts to bring Gilad home. We turn to you, Mr. Prime Minister, before it becomes too late.”
The inner Cabinet met three times Sunday to discuss the swap. The first two meetings lasted for a total of five hours, according to Ha’aretz.
Hamas terrorists captured Shalit in a cross-border raid in 2006. He is believed to be held in Gaza.
According to Israeli media, the ministers are evenly split on whether or not to approve the prisoner swap deal with Hamas. Netanyahu would have to break the tie. The ministers have not yet voted, according to reports.
The inner Cabinet members are Defense Minister Ehud Barak; Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman; Deputy Prime Ministers Moshe Ya’alon, Dan Meridor and Eli Yishai; and Minister Without Portfolio Benny Begin.
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