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A few opinions about Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier being held by Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority for the last three years. Israeli soldiers in Gaza continue to serve their country, while Gilad remains in captivity.

Gilad Shalit is an Israeli soldier that was captured by the Palestinian Hamas on 25 June 2006. As of this moment (4/10/09) he is still a prisoner in Gaza held by the Palestinian Authority, and the Israeli Palestinian conflict continues. Talk of his release in exchange for 1000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are on going.  The deal is being held up because the Israelis continue to negotiate for a lower number of Palestinians in the exchange. Just this week the Israeli government exchanged 20 Palestinians for a video tape of Shalit.

 Here are a few facts that you may not be aware of.

 

  • Many of the 1000 prisoners that the Hamas wants in exchange have “blood on their hands”, meaning they were convicted for murder or terrorist attacks.
  • Why is the exchange not one prisoner for another. One Israeli for one Palestinian.
  • The Hamas has refused the Red Cross access to Shalit.
  • Shalit holds Israeli, French and Italian citizenship.
  • He was 20 at the time of his capture.
  • “Never leaving a soldier in the field”, is a phrase often heard, it means that no soldier will ever be left in the hands of the enemy, and given up on.
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If Shalit was the child of some important political leader or millionaire, how long would it have taken to bring him back? How many Palestinian prisoners would Netanyahu have been willing to exchange if it was his son?

If it were my son in captivity I wouldn’t mind how many Palestinian prisoners they gave, hell, I wouldn’t mind if they wanted Tel Aviv, I would just want my son back.

On the other hand, if one of those 1000 Palestinian prisoners had been responsible for killing my child in a terrorist attack I wouldn’t be so keen on releasing him in the exchange.

Then again, if that is the way the Israeli army is willing to leave Shalit in Hamas hands for so long, why any mother would let her son join the Israeli army. Rather sit three years in an Israeli army jail for being a conscientious objector, and not risk being left in a Hamas jail for three years.

The “war” is not fair, and I know there is injustice on both sides, but as a mother my heart aches for the parents of Shalit, as they watch their son, and are so helpless to do anything. Mothers, both Israeli and Palestinian just want to give their children a good life, and yet the common people on the streets, on both sides are the ones that suffer.

Release Gilad at all cost.