The New York Times on Tuesday reported an article about Shalit. In June of 2006, Gilad Shalit was captured in a cross-border raid by Hamas and taken Gilad into captivity in Gaza. A prisoner release agreement has been tentatively reached between Hamas and Israel. The trade would entail Israel releasing over 1000 Palestinian prisoners for Gilad Shalit.
This seems like an unfair trade--1000 prisoners, held captive for killing Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier. I think this shows two different values. One one hand, Israel is willing to do whatever it takes to get a solider back--every soldier is valued for the service they do for the country. However, is Israel ready to risk possible future attacks by these released prisoners? I think the answer is that Israel lives in the here and now--thinking about all the what ifs would prevent the country from moving forward.
With this agreement, Israel is negotiating with a known terrorist group. Hamas is a recognized terrorist group in the world opinion and negotiating with them seems to legitimize them in some way. Hamas knows how much Israel value each solider and asks for an exorbitant amount of released prisoners knowing that Israel will release them in exchange for a live soldier.
But why now? Negotiations were almost reached a few years earlier. What's changed that an agreement has now been reached? All of the uncertainty in the area after the Arab Spring has forced negotiations to be made, knowing that what might be accomplished now may not be able to be accomplished with future governments.
This situation strikes home with me because I was in Israel when these three soldiers were taken captive and when the war with Lebanon broke out in 2006. I was there. I was touring a kibbutz where we were able to see the Gaza skyline and an Israeli intelligence plane flying above the city. I was there. Yet I was able to come home and continue living my life. Gilad's life has stopped for these past five and a half years and I hope and pray that he is okay and able to return to his family in the coming week. I also hope that no trouble or skirmishes arise as the direct result of this prisoner release; I can only imagine what the repercussions would be for future captive soldiers.
This seems like an unfair trade--1000 prisoners, held captive for killing Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier. I think this shows two different values. One one hand, Israel is willing to do whatever it takes to get a solider back--every soldier is valued for the service they do for the country. However, is Israel ready to risk possible future attacks by these released prisoners? I think the answer is that Israel lives in the here and now--thinking about all the what ifs would prevent the country from moving forward.
With this agreement, Israel is negotiating with a known terrorist group. Hamas is a recognized terrorist group in the world opinion and negotiating with them seems to legitimize them in some way. Hamas knows how much Israel value each solider and asks for an exorbitant amount of released prisoners knowing that Israel will release them in exchange for a live soldier.
But why now? Negotiations were almost reached a few years earlier. What's changed that an agreement has now been reached? All of the uncertainty in the area after the Arab Spring has forced negotiations to be made, knowing that what might be accomplished now may not be able to be accomplished with future governments.
This situation strikes home with me because I was in Israel when these three soldiers were taken captive and when the war with Lebanon broke out in 2006. I was there. I was touring a kibbutz where we were able to see the Gaza skyline and an Israeli intelligence plane flying above the city. I was there. Yet I was able to come home and continue living my life. Gilad's life has stopped for these past five and a half years and I hope and pray that he is okay and able to return to his family in the coming week. I also hope that no trouble or skirmishes arise as the direct result of this prisoner release; I can only imagine what the repercussions would be for future captive soldiers.
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