An Israeli singer has appealed to Carla Bruni to campaign for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who also holds French citizenship, by recording a tribute song.

Amir Benayun, a popular musician in Israel, wrote a letter to Ms Bruni asking her to record the song he wrote about the soldier's plight.

He passed the letter to Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who promised to take it to Ms Bruni when he went to France.

According to Ynet, Mr Benayun wrote: "I turn to you, as a future mother, the wife of the French president – but especially as a singer – and I ask of you to record this song yourself and distribute it to the world."

This month Sergeant Shalit's family will mark five years since the then 19-year-old was taken by Hamas terrorists during a cross-border raid.

Ms Bruni, a celebrity in France for her musical career and her marriage to President Nicolas Sarkozy, has taken an interest in the kidnapping. She recently discussed the matter in a letter to her Israeli counterpart Sara Netanyahu.

In 2008, Sergeant Shalit was named an honorary citizen of Paris as part of a drive to publicise his case.