Mustafa Salim did not shave, cut his hair for more than five years in solidarity with captive soldier Gilad Shalit. Day after prisoner swap, he finally gets hair-cut. "I decided not to touch my facial hair and the hair on my head," he said. "It was hard for me to see this abduction destroy the peace process. Such a kidnapping is not courageous and is not based on the culture of Islam. I am very proud of what I did and of the State of Israel."


Shalit's father : Gilad underwent very difficult things during his captivity - In response to a question quoting Hamas' statement that Shalit was not tortured in captivity, his father said: "I suggest you take anything Hamas says with a grain of salt. Gilad underwent very difficult things during his captivity. I won't go into that now… His treatment did improve a little bit over time."

Published: 10.20.11

Unusual act of solidarity: Mustafa Salim, 35, an Arab Israeli resident of the northern village of Muqaibla did not shave or cut his hair for more than five years until this week.





Salim, who stresses he is not a religious person, refused to cut his fair since Gilad Shalit was abducted into Gaza in 2006. On Tuesday, upon the completion of the prisoner swap deal and with Shalit's return home, he was finally able to shave and get a haircut.







Salim thought of undertaking an act of solidarity with Shalit as early as the day of the abduction, and started his "hair-strike" a month and a half later.


"I decided not to touch my facial hair and the hair on my head," he said. "It was hard for me to see this abduction destroy the peace process. Such a kidnapping is not courageous and is not based on the culture of Islam."

"I didn’t know the Shalit family personally, and I have no wish to know them. I am only looking at the Israeli government which did everything for someone from the Jewish people and put itself at risk to free Gilad Shalit. The deal they struck is very good. Anyone against it should put himself in the Shalit family's place."



Salim claims that his gesture drew much criticism. Many thought he had become more religious. "During this time I was in the territories quite often," he said. "And when they asked me I told the truth. Some said 'let Gilad Shalit die' and some supported me. I am very proud of what I did and of the State of Israel."







Shalit's father : Gilad underwent very difficult things during his captivity -
Noam Shalit, father of former Hamas captive Gilad Shalit told reporters on Thursday that his son, who was freed after nearly five and a half years in captivity, was doing as well as can be expected.





"Over all, Gilad is doing well. He is under IDF doctors' care. As you've all seen, he's begun going out of the house a little bit, riding his bicycle, he wants to take walk, he's playing some ping-pong and he's seeing some people, meeting childhood friends.







In response to a question quoting Hamas' statement that Shalit was not tortured in captivity, his father said: "I suggest you take anything Hamas says with a grain of salt. Gilad underwent very difficult things during his captivity. I won't go into that now… His treatment did improve a little bit over time."



Gilad, he said, "talks to us and shares what he can. I don't know how I, or you, would have survived this long in captivity, so considering what he's been through he is doing okay.



"The most important thing now is ensuring he readapts gradually. Gilad is not one to make any special requests – he is taking things as they come. We are trying to give him everything we can."



As for the days ahead, Noam Shalit said that his son will continue to follow his doctors' orders: "More rest, more care, and gradually getting his life back together."


















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