Shelley Berkley: “I rise today along with my colleagues to mark a very sad occasion: The fourth anniversary of the kidnapping of Israeli…”

“I rise today along with my colleagues to mark a very sad occasion: The fourth anniversary of the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. If the world needs evidence of Hamas' cruelty, they need look no further than the kidnapping of this young soldier serving on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. Defying any standards of human decency and international law, Hamas has held him prisoner without access to a doctor or to the Red Cross. They have denied him contact with any outside party or even his family, who have no idea where this young man is being held. Hamas has even forced him to appear in a video that was used to pressure the Israeli Government into making concessions in exchange for his release. The conditions of his detainment are illegal, they are deplorable, and they are immoral. For some reason, though, the world bombards Israel with criticism for the simple act of defending its citizens, while Hamas continues to violate human rights day after day. It is unjust, and it ultimately puts all peace-loving people at risk. Where is the U.N. with its outrage? Where is the Arab world? Where are our European allies? The world leaps to condemn Israel whenever it is put in the untenable situation of defending itself against terrorism.”