Israel should propose a counter offer. All this time Israel has been dealing with what part of Hamas's demands they will, or won't accept, Israel should say we won't release these people but we will release 2000 others. Israel has 10,000 Palestinian prisoners to pick from that wouldn't make a difference to Israel if they were to be released. Israel won't release the worst but they will release thousands of others. Publish the names of all those whom Israel would be willing to let go, it could turn out to be a pretty big list. Then let their families raise the pressure on Hamas to accept.

that Netanyahu is clever enough to haggle Arab style, instead of folding like an American. What is important too is that the Obama people undoubtedly follow this exchange and it has taught them a lesson about Netanyhau's personality. Not that I do not want Shalit to be home with his incredible parents, but the cost is so high it cannot be ignored. Right now there is a US soldier being held in Afghanistan after being kidnapped. He has been gone for about 6 months. His parents have no hope for his release,and the kidnappers have no swayandactuallyno one to talk to--the US has a very strident position on never negotiating. So the fallout is this parent and family will spend the rest of their lives agonizingand question their nation. One day they will arise to learn that their son was murdered after the kidnappers grew tired of his burden. Compare their experience with the Shalit's who beow to a nation which publically states it stands by the return of it's soldiers. Parents have a voice and the Shalits have donean amazing job of educating the world about Gilad. No matter how this situation turns out the Shalits can walk the streets of Israel knowing people are with them and also knowing the nation as a whole went the distance for their son. That moral victory is undeniable. So the question is, which option is better if neither son returns home? I think the answer is clear as a bell. Mashaal can never truly woin this exchange,because he has already lost.

The Shalits are doing what we would expect of any loving parents. But their public campaign in Israel has weakened the government's hand and guaranteed that "high price" we all dread. It is, after all, not Israel that is holding their son. The Shalit's campaign has thus been totally misplaced. Aside from pressing foreign governments to take up their cause, they should have pressed for measures against Hamas prisoners in Israel's hands, resulting on indirect pressure on Hamas to make a deal.

Look, on one side you have Israel existing, and working to stay in existence as a sovereign nation. On the other side, you have Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, etc., who exist for one purpose. To destroy Israel. They will do anything they can get away with to do it. There is no bargaining that will change it. There is no middle ground. It's either defeat these organizations, by defeating the countries that use them as their proxies, or die. Now we all know what God has said about Israel. Israel will be brought back to the land and will never leave again. So, it's just a matter of how many innocent Israelis will have to die in these cowardly muslim terrorist attacks, before Israel has had enough, and finally takes off the gloves, and does what she has to do. God bless his people, Israel.

Where are our heros?

If you are looking for politicians, let me assure you that with the possible exception of Jumas and maybe Yossi Sarid, they are all venal sh-ts whose only interest is retaining power. Netanyahu bows and scrapes, the ultra-religious are still living in the 16th century, the left has completely lost touch with reality, the right is lazy and the overwhelming majority of us are stuck in the middle with the awful knowledge that no one, but no one, is going to save us from ourselves. You want heroes? Look to the IDF, where 18-year old children keep us safe to buy milk and read the paper. Hamas is not going to give Gilad Shalit back, not in this lifetime, and his parents will never have closure. Either we go in and get him out ourselves, or we give it up and deal with equally pressing issues, such as what is so coyly known as the "periphery." We should be building a hospital in Kiryat Shmonah and extending Kvish 6 and the railroad at least as far as Mitzpeh Rimon instead of letting Hamas jerk us around. Men have walked on the moon, cancer can be cured, our country is the home of the greatest minds on the planet, and it is inconceivable that we can't find Gilad Shalit and get him out.

Hamas and Fatah have two goals: destroying Israel and staying alive to be able to destroy Israel. Hamas won't release Shalit unless they get something that furthers one of these two goals. All Israel has to do is start intensive building of Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria until Shalit is released. For instance, start by tearing down the apartheid fence near the airport, expand Bet Arieh and declare Israeli sovereignty there. If he is alive, Hamas will free Shalit in no time or they will be overthrown. After that, no Arab will ever kidnap a Jew again.