G’lad to see you
GILAD Shalit was presented with books detailing the community’s many campaigns calling for his release by Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester on Tuesday (pictured top).
GILAD Shalit was presented with books detailing the community’s many campaigns calling for his release by Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester on Tuesday (pictured top).
The pair met at Melbourne’s Mount Scopus Memorial College, where the former Hamas captive addressed around 1000 Jewish students from six Jewish schools.
Shalit couldn’t help but smile when Chester remarked how thrilled he was to see the young Israeli “heavier, healthier and with more hair” than when he was released in October 2011.
Also taking to the stage at Mount Scopus was Noam Gershony, the Israeli Air Force pilot who almost lost his life when his helicopter crashed during the 2006 Second Lebanon War and who went on to win a gold medal at last year’s Paralympics. Describing himself as “just another regular Israeli”, he joked, “All I have now is a gold necklace bigger than all of yours.”
Shalit and Gershony have both been brought out to Australia from Israel by the United Israel Appeal.
Gilad talks about his time in captivity and his life since in this week’s AJN.
AJN STAFF
Philip Chester presents the books to Gilad Shalit.
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