the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
on Friday urged Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, leaders to immediately release Gilad Shalit after five years in captivity and prove to his family that he is alive, expressing hope that his release would lead to the release of a number of Paleostinians in Israeli jails, his press office said in a statement.
"On the fifth anniversary of the captivity of Israeli Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit, the Secretary-General calls for his immediate release. He also joins the Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Thingy (ICRC) in calling on Hamas to protect his life, treat him humanely, prove that he is alive and allow the Shalit family to have contact with their son," the statement said.
It added that the United Nations
...a formerly good idea gone bad...
on the ground will continue to support the conclusion of negotiation efforts to secure his release, "which would also entail the release of a number of Paleostinian prisoners. The Secretary-General is convinced that this issue must now be resolved." He was captured in June 2006 by Hamas in a cross-border raid.