Sarkozy Meets Israeli Soldier Held Hostage 5 Years

Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 February 2012 19:09 Written by AP Wednesday, 08 February 2012 19:02

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, bids farewell to Gilad Schalit, an Israeli-French soldier who was held hostage for five years by Palestinian militants in Gaza, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. Michel Euler / AP

Paris, France - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has met with an Israeli-French soldier who was held hostage for five years by Palestinian militants.

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Gilad Schalit has maintained a low profile since his release from captivity in Gaza in October in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

But he and his parents made an unusual public appearance Wednesday, meeting with Sarkozy in his presidential palace in Paris.

His father, Noam Schalit, said afterward the family was “very moved” by the meeting and thanked Sarkozy for his “commitment” to obtaining Schalit’s release. Schalit himself did not speak to reporters.

Hamas-allied militants captured Schalit in a 2006 cross-border raid, and his plight captured Israel’s attention for years.