What has happened to Gilad Shalit is outrageous. He is the Israeli soldier who was snatched by Hamas terrorists and held in Gaza for five years. During that time, he was denied communication with the outside world, and there was every likelihood that Hamas killers had murdered him. Hamas denied the Red Cross access to him, which was a defiance of all international practice as well as unprecedented cruelty. The Israeli government handled his case ineptly. The Israeli army entered Gaza in force in 2008 to put an end to the ceaseless firing of rockets into Israel. The release of Shalit should have been made a condition of withdrawal. In the absence of means of compulsion, the Israeli governments of Ehud Olmert and Bibi Netanyahu could do nothing except bleat. For five long years Hamas has laughed in their face.
Shalit’s case presents a horrible moral dilemma. On the one hand, his release is imperative, and it is right to pay a high price for it, even though the Hamas brutes gain by it. On the other hand, this price rewards terrorism and inhuman cruelty. Worse still, kidnapping Israelis and holding them to ransom is evidently a paying proposition. The incentive to repeat the operation could hardly be clearer. One would expect Hamas to try to do so immediately.
Hamas have obtained the exchange of 1,000 Palestinians against a single Israeli, and their spokesmen are claiming this as a great victory. They are mistaken. The 1,000 Palestinians are all terrorists caught in the act and convicted in court, while the Israeli was doing his duty only to become the victim of subterfuge and violence to his person. There is no moral equivalence between the parties. Treating Shalit as they have, Hamas reveal their viciousness in full view of the watching world. We understand whom we have to deal with. However apprehensive I am about this exchange, I find I shall be glad when Shalit is finally out of their hands, and also full of pity for the unfortunate Gazans who voted Hamas into power, only to discover that they have put themselves at the mercy of these violent and lawless men, and can do nothing about it.
This deal will encourage terrorists to take more hostages. There will be many more Gilads as a direct result.
If you want to pity anyone, pity the Israelis that are likely to be killed by these newly released convicted terrorists and the new terrorists that they train now that they are free.
The people of Gaza chose their own fate. They regularly make it perfectly clear to anyone willing to listen that their Hamas leaders are executing their will.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree on all counts. The IDF and the government could have handled it better in the original attack. I also agree that as long as he comes back alive, that's what's important.
If they just return his body I support the IDF going back into Gaza and finding each of the 1K they released and razing the buildings they stand in.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Aaradin: Hamas' approval rates are less than 30%. Hamas won the election because Fatah was unable to provide even basic social services, and Gazan birthrates are so high that less than 1/3 of the population was even able to vote in 2006. I find the collective punishment you seem to be advocating hard to justify.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSorry, but this is a victory for Hamas. The released terrorists will get heroes' welcomes, with Hamas taking the credit. Hamas forced Israel to submit to its extortion, and that is all that matters to Arabs.
"World opinion" won't notice the criminal actions of Hamas toward Shalit. It is more likely that they will commend Hamas for taking such good care of a "war criminal".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr. Pryce-Jones, what do you mean "we"?
It's clear to you what Hamas is. It's clear to me what Hamas is. It's probably also clear to the majority of people who read this post. I knew that, however, and I suspect that you did as well. What they did to Shalit was merely one more confirmation in a long string of them.
I suspect that the vast majority of people who were inclined to excuse Hamas before will excuse them again. It doesn't matter if they "reveal their viciousness in full view of the watching world" if the world is determined to keep its blindfold on.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseShalit is a soldier and knows that in that capacity he may die at the hands of the enemy. Harsh as it sounds, Israel should not bargain for the return of soldiers abducted in the line of duty. 1000 prisoners? How many Israelis will those men kill once returned to their version of freedom? This exchange makes no sense. God help a suicidal Israel.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"pity for the unfortunate Gazans who voted Hamas into power"
The Gazans I feel pity for are those who didn’t vote Hamas into power.
As for Shalit, I’m glad he’s finally home and won't second guess Israel's no win situation and the decision it made.
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