Israeli hostage dad urges EU aid pressure on Palestinians

(STRASBOURG) - The father of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on Wednesday urged Europe to use heavy aid to pressure the Palestinians into releasing him.

Noam Shalit told AFP that the Palestinians would struggle to "ignore" a resolution calling for the now 23-year-old to be freed, which is due to be voted on by European parliament lawmakers in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday.

"The European Union gives a lot of money to the Palestinians, and I hope the Palestinians, and especially Hamas, won't be able to ignore" a favourable vote, Shalit senior said in Strasbourg, after meeting the parliament's president and leading lawmakers.

Total EU aid to the Palestinians in 2009 amounted to 214 million euros (290 million dollars).

Europe "should say clear and loud that it is not acceptable that Hamas is keeping anyone, and especially a European citizen, in captivity for four years, in complete isolation, without any contact with the outside world," he underlined.

Captured in a deadly cross-border raid from Gaza by Hamas fighters in June 2006, Israel is reportedly prepared to release around 450 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit, who also holds French citizenship.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel was still waiting for a response from Hamas, three months after lodging its latest offer.

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, who is due to visit Israel later this month, and who has been given permission to enter Gaza, met Shalit senior briefly on Wednesday.

"I hope she will call for Hamas to conclude this issue and release my son Gilad, and for Israel to remove the (blockade) on the Gaza strip," he added.