Free GIlad Shalit: Time in Captivity

Poll: Five Years On. What should the Israeli Government do?

What action should the Israeli Government take now that Hamas has clear control of Gaza and it has been 1 year since Gilad Shalit was been kidnapped
Negotiate with Hamas
Negotiate with Hamas, release as many prisoners as it takes
Hold the Hamas Leadership directly accountable
Hold the Leadership accountable and give them one final deadline before military action
Hold Leadership accountable, give deadline for military action and total cessation of all Israeli supplied electricty and Water.
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Friday, December 14, 2007

(cross posted at Life in Israel )


With all this talk of a possible offensive entry by the army into Gaza due to the recent wave of Qassam rocket attacks, I consider the fate of Gilad Shalit.
All indications point to the fact that he is still alive. Going into Gaza now on an offensive will likely create a situation in which Hamas will execute, God forbid, Shalit.

Remember Nachshon Wachsman? The soldier kidnapped by Palestinians. He was held in a rigged building and while Israeli forces broke in to try to free him, the terrorists killed him in full view.

Is that what we want to happen now? Could we not have released Shalit earlier, before it came to necessity of an armed offensive in Gaza? Does the army not think that this will be Shalit's fate?

The price demanded for Shalit was very high. I was against trading so many terrorist for Shalit, and the government was as well. It is horrible to have a soldier in captivity, but when one pays too high a price for his freedom, it encourages more kidnappings.

But since then, we have released about a thousand terrorists anyway. Just as a sign of goodwill. To strengthen Abu Mazen. For free. With nothing in return.

If we were going to release a thousand terrorists, couldn't we have done it to obtain Shalit's release? Especially knowing that there would be a good chance we would need to go into Gaza on the offensive at some point?

Let's hope this scenario does not play out and Shalit comes home safely, but it is very worrying..


4 comments:

Progressive Pinhead said...

It seems that you've fallen into the belief that Israeli blood is more valuable then Palestinian blood. You have started a blog devoted to freeing of one captured Israeli soldier, but you seem not to care about the thousands of kidnapped and murdered Palestinians. You even put the word "Jew" below Shalit's names as if that makes it more important. There is so much injustice on both side of this conflict and it isn't going to be resolved until both sides understand their role in creating the present problems.

Anonymous said...

I agree. And this appalling poster, with the word JEW (is it worse to imprison Jews than Palestinians - bearing in mind thousands of Palestinians are detained without any charge, most of whom will be tortured) only lacks one thing a Yellow Star. Except that Gilad Shalit was captured as a soldier, most Palestinians caught are civilians.

It is little wonder that the anti-semitic site, the so-called www.peacepalestine.blogspot.com has reprinted this poster with a few more people attached to it. These racists just loved this 'human being' JEW poster.

Anonymous said...

Bring him and his fellow POW's home now as well as the Americans Al Qaida in Iraq captured in May 2007, Matt Maupin who was captured in April 2004 in Iraq and Michael Scott Speicher who was shot down in January 1991 over Iraq. May God and his angels keep them safe.

Mr Bagel said...

Young activist: You're obviously very young. The term JEW was a play on the poster of the BBC reporter Alan Johnston who had the word BBC in black boxes, Re: BBC: Poster example some how because he was British and a reporter this made it important to have him released.
____________

As for 'Anonymous' and your rant with regards to the 'poster' shows your complete ignorance.
As for Palestinians that are imprisoned which are 'civilians' please, just because you drop your gun in cowardice and hide amongst the civilian population doesn't make you a civilian.

You compare Gilad Shalit's treatment to Palestinian prisoners held in Israel?
Palestinian prisoners that are seen by the Red Cross, who are allowed to communicate with their relatives, the vast majority who are allowed visitation rights, those prisoners?

You're an absolute wanker.

Here's a question for you: Where would you rather be held captive? In an Israeli prison serving a defined amount of time, able to access legal aid, red cross visitation, access education, enjoy your right to religious observance and getting regular meals with no prospect of yourself being murdered and your body pieces being used as bargaining chips, or as in Gilad Shalit's case hidden away in some dark cave to be held with no time frame and used as a pawn by terrorists?

Your comparison reveals more of your moral ineptitude than you could ever have the insight to realise.
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2nd Anon comment: Yes, its an unfortunate that most extremist Islamic organisations are not known for their observance of human rights.

Mr Bagel