I fear that Gilad Shalit may now be dead. Although his captors did not kill him in retaliation for the anti-rocket campaign, I fear they may have killed him in revenge for the assassination of one of their own. But it is pure speculation.

if israel has hamas prisoners with a death sentence, but not yet APPEALED successfully, then 24 hours after the hamas' execution of collaborators the same number should be executed in the same way in israel. and correction: execution in a way, legal by law. this would be fully eligible, as they were sentenced to death by a recognized court. in contrary to the "hamas" prisoners.

in the case where an Israeli soldier been captive in non civil conditions, it is justified to treat them similarly. in hope their officials adjust their perspective on prisoner treatment. if they don't reform the soldier condition that will suit human right laws. let the red cross visit and his parents. allow him to study. dentist care and so on... as done in Israeli prisons. let them to realize that their mistreatment leads to mistreatment of their colleagues in Israeli prisons as well.

So what you are saying, Hamas is a small group of people, who just happen to control the Gaza and that they were elected by people who you don't agree with? or just got elected by luck? Therefore, we shouldn't look at Hamas as a controlling entity? Why is it that the Arabs always have double standards when it benefits them? Hamas is holding an abducted soldier for almost 4 years without any visits from anyone and you want Israel to sit put and not do anything? Sorry, I totally agree with the article and they should have done this years ago. Perhaps than Hamas will get annoyed by all the calls from their own people to release Gilad you moron.

don't torture just cut back on the luxuries, tv,, books, papers, family visits. they are after all criminals. and while you are at it a little hard labor would be in order as well. no education facilities. red cross welcome to visit to verify health even though hamas does not allow it but Israel doesn't want to sink to their level but any of the above privileges-eliminate them!!!

Palestinians are not Israeli citizens, why should they have the same rights as citizens? Israel has no charter or covenant calling for the death of all Palestinians. The Palestinians have both calling for the destruction of Israel and the death of all Jews. Let the Palestinians renounce violence and accept Israel as their neighbor, let them build their own country instead of being the world's longest-term welfare cases, then we can talk. What rights would a Jew have in their proposed "Judenrein" Palestinian state? None.

It's not that you need to be meaner to the prisoners, it's that you need to stop being so foolish as to trade 50 murderers for a single soldier. I would not advocate this for Fatah (as they are *potentially* partners for peace), but it'd be productive to simply execute members of Hamas when they're captured. No trades, no returning violent theocrats to the streets, just swift and effective measures for a group that has sworn never to work towards peace. If they ever decide that they might be willing to comprimise, and decide that Sharia won't be the law of the land of what they're trying to build, then it'll be time to reexamine that position. Until then, hunt them down as enemies of civilisation.

Israel is also occupying the Moon. You probably think that Jesus was born Christian too, right? No I don't believe we are occupying anything, in fact I believe Jordan and some parts of Lebanon are occupying parts of Israel. I guess you are one of those fools who think the Palestinians lived in Israel all their lives? You are obviously not religious, which means that you never read the Bible, which was written 4,000 years ago, but published around 500 AD and you will find in it that Jews always owned and lived in the Holy Land, including King David, Jesus, Abraham, Jacob and all the other prophets (all Jews). Israel was occupied by the Romans, Turks, the Greeks and the Christians, so why would I agree with your dumb question, because you are another moron or is it because you are a dumb Arab fool?

visitors to the prison in Ashkelon. You see the Arab women, carrying bags in one hand and pulling their kids in the other, waiting to get into the gates of the prison. And every time I pass by, I wonder why we still let the visits continue while not even the Red Cross gets in to see Shalit. As soon as we give tit for tat, the Arab prisoners and their families will get angry at Hamas and hopefully act accordingly towards them. It's worth a try.

I am amazed at the level of hate and incitement in your article. I am even more surprised that such discourse is allowed to be published. When someone calls for the collective punishment of a large group of civilians (innocent or not), that person loses the moral standing of preaching to others about what to do and what not to do. I hope that someday you'll find peace and love in your life.

"No phones, no money, no television, no family visits......." Jeeezzzzzz, where are these Palestinians, in prison or in summer camp? It is absolutely beyond human understanding, that they receive all this, and much more, while our Gilad is lanquishing in a dark dungeon, denied any contact with the outside world. Millions of Israelis should go out and protest in the streets against this outrage.

more than hating us so much and perhaps then their will be peace. The Palestinians have already did the damage to Israelis and like myself, I definitely do not trust your people anymore. I used to trust you people and thought their will be some hope for peace when Rabin was in power, when Barak was in power, but after all your suicide bombings and rockets into Israel, I don't trust any of you to the point of....well that's something you will need to guess, but my feeling towards the anger I have for your people will never supersede the love I have for my children...That's the difference between our peoples and yours. This is why they need to do this, so we can get our soldier back from the animals, who I'm sure are treating him worse than a dog in a cage and you call it collective punishment? If it was me, well you know the rest...

As a teacher here in the US, I presented this editorial and talkback comments to my social studies class and the reaction was astounding - so many of the students really were taken back by it all and wanted to know why the Israeli view of the Palestinians wasn't shown in our newspapers more and thought if it were then the people in the US would stop all support for Israel - they left class as if on a mission........

it is clear; they suffer as people of Gaza do.

1) Collective punisment making a millio nand half people suffer is morally wrong 2) It is a vilation of International Law 3) It is an enormous boost to Arab propgaganda 4) We are already doing it for more than three years and it did not bring Gilead Shalit back 5) It will boost the digging of tunnels in the Gaza-Egypt border, becuase the tunnels will be needed to bring in basuic consumer goods - but whem the tunn eles are already there as a going concen, they will also be used for firearms Do I need to give some more reasons why we should be against collective punishement? I can give some more, if you really want.

Do you folks not understand that articles like these are prima facie proof that Israel intends to or condones one of the most heinous crimes under international law? Articles like these fully vindicate the Goldstone Mission's findings in the Goldstone Report where "collective punishment" was mentioned no less than eighteen times. This article calls for recreating the Warsaw Ghetto in Gaza. It's an abomination. Articles like these weaken Israel at a time when Bibi is disgraced, world opinion of Israel has never been lower and more consideration of the Goldstone Report is upcoming. It is like someone nefarious wrote a script for the last eighteen months or so that would bring Israel to the abyss, but it turns out the Israelis wrote it for themselves.

Fair play to you.

There is none. An Israeli soldier is a prisoner under Hamas, so you wish to subject the entirety of the population of Gaza to starvation because of it? If that's reasonable, what measure should the Palestinians take against Israel for the many Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, for the crime of fighting for their independence? Do not call them murderers. You do not have the moral authority. Not when you have taken ownership of their land without giving them the rights of citizenry. Either set their land free and let them have their nation, or annex it and given them citizenship. This slow process of ethnic cleansing leaves you with no moral authority.

It sounds like you sent your last post as you were cuddled up next to a warm fire while drinking hot cocoa and eating bon bons. Welcome to Israel, and welcome to our neighbors: www.palwatch.org & www.pmw.org.il. Show your students what Palestinian Arabs think about Jews and then we'll talk.

I give you permition to Blame the Brits, and since Gaza is actually 4 bedoins Hamulas (tribe strucktur family, yes beduins aka ex nomads) than yes those 4 tribe should be in jail. your lack of knowleg makes you look like a fool.

your media, especially the CNN, you see some of them wanted one broadcaster out of Fox news for showing more realistice point of view which is kinda against your freedom of speach, the articles not always reflect the ereality but the editor or money doner point of view.

you called him JERODE, so it show the amount of knowleg you got, you do that as personal bling hate vendeta, but I believe in Karma as you Amerikan say what goes around comes around. giggle I guess your pride won't let you go to Metzada to see the Opera show so eat your heart out.

You are one big piece of Jewish knowledge ... compliments

I all ways try and edamoncate meself on old historric stuff nad currant news, when I grown up and join moshad to be a killerspy, coz those other moshad gays in abudabiy were rubish, I will to rite a book a bout my live storie, I plann to call the book “ghostq in the machene” after a carttoon I saw once when i was alowed to stay up laterer, I all so want too include photos da the readers can color in.

Im not a Jew or an Arab. Im also agnostic. How long can this nonsense go on? I do not believe there will be a two state solution and I do not belive that there will be harmony in a one state for all solution. Israel could then relocate the wall and create a rocket proof buffer zone.

You are now more than the apartheid regime in South Africa