Madness.

watch CNN this morning, saw a family swore in gratitude towards Hamas forever, you will find many released terrorists family will elect Hamas in coming election out of gratitude. and Many families of terrorists which are still now express hope in Hamas more than abbas! see the sign? all families with released and not release terrorists will elect Hamas as Leader of Palestinians. you will find Hamas ruling "West Bank" soon, so still want to give up Judea Samaria and E Jerusalem?

(ie what the leftist power hold on Israel is doing)

If you think that we are crazy , why don't you come to live here and give your own ideias from here . Is very easy to talk from the USA ....abd please , don't send money to pay for your well being .. We don't need money ...

Israel should give each terrorist a 'money premium, to get started in life. They got their college/university degree in prison, but now they need a job. I mean, the money Israel is saving by not taking care of these dogs. Isn't it their "their legal right by some new international law?

Israel. They are worse than ham-ass, hizbollah, fatah and achmedijwhatever from iran combined. They should have told ham-ass that the freed terrorists will be killed off whenever we want to kill them. Another kidnapping, terror attack from gaza or another rocket, mortar or missile and we will carpet bomb gaza till they run for their worthless lives. You dictate terms to terrorists, not ask them not to kidnap any more soldiers. bibi= bli baitzim

will change. Enough said.

B"H Life sentence is eroded in Israel now, death sentence has to take its place. Presidents also must be limited to sign a maximum of let's say 5 pardons during their tenure.

I would like to thank the Government of Israel for doing everything to bring Shalit home. The thought of him being in the hands of the enemy not far from Israel makes me sick. I believe it was difficult for everyone, but you have shown the World that you value the life's of your citizens, that you are willing to sacrifice so much for one soul. This is not weakness, it is strength and it is humanity. Bless you all, He watches over you will never sleep!!.

Judging by this story, there may not be a meeting of the minds on the prisoner exchange. So many are stating understandings and denying understandings already. One has to wonder if there is any written record of who agreed to what. Maybe in Egypt? Will this turn out like the Gaza Cease fire 'agreements' with one side saying, "Gee, we forgot to mention that?" like with the free fire zone within sight of the border fence. With Israel already denying some understandings of the other side, what can they rely on between now and Tuesday? Will the 'deal' fall apart before it happens for lack of trust? Israel's credibility, not just Netanyahu's credibility is on the line, not just with Hamas, but with the entire world, US excepted of course. Our politicians swallow BS for breakfast, lunch and dinner, if it comes with money.

Israel was a strong country. As it turns out, those in "control" are nothing more than wishy-washy no brain members of Knesset, people of authority, not to mention their court system; judges etc. etc. etc. If you are arab, you are ok in the eyes of Israel. When I say Israel, I DO NOT refer to the citizens, I speak only of those with "power" at their fingertips. Get the hell out you people, you DO NOT have the fogiest idea what arabs truly are! They are killers and murderers of any Jew be they man; woman or ESPECIALLY child! Children are not allowed to grow up to defend their country. And p.s. - arabs don't worry about your demise, Jesus is due for arrival! He won't bypass the arabs, He doesn't want slime in His Kingdom!

Let's not forget the other Israeli POWs that have been missing for at least 25 years, with the exception of Guy Hever, who has been missing around 12 years.

Why can't you leave all this reporting and discussing until when Gilad Shalit is finally free?! You are endangering the deal and playing with Gilad's life. Shut up until next week please! Carsten Schmidt, Germany, Old Europe

I would expect that if any of the released should get out of line there would be rearrest and other retribution. I don't doubt that there will some that that will be relocating to Gaza on a voluntary basis just to avoid the possibility of a return to Israeli custody.

This is the price you pay for a total democracy. Everyone can talk and none of these talkers must live with the consequences. The problem with Israeli journalists and Israelis in general is that, believe it or not, they live a comfortable, western style life with cars, houses, new gadgets and annual visa-free shopping trips to Europe. They do not really have to fight an every day fight for survival as individuals. And they got used to Arab nuisances like Californians and Japanese got used to low magnitude earthquakes. It's no big deal until a major one struck your house. It's a 'NEW NORMAL'. And Israeli leaders starting with Rabin, well, their spirit is dead, if they ever had one. It's gone. It's all about politics.

If only this government will follow the dictum of former Prime Minister Levi Eshkol: "Yes, I know I promised; but I never promised to keep my promise"!

never again take part in racist war crimes against Israel and its citizens. Once they do, deals off.

Since Hamas does not promise to cease kidnapping, I will not print what I think next.

With Gilad finally home, and Hamas pledging to continue kidnapping, all bets are off. GO IAF! If you get my meaning.

Israel promises not to assassinate or re-arrest palestinians released. That sounds perfectly reasonable as long they don't murder or re-commit other crimes against Israel.

Hamas should not think these people have been granted lifetime immunity for FUTURE terrorist crimes!

it's usually been the "Palestinians" who have broken them, sometimes within hours, not weeks. The cease-fire in Gaza? Hell, Hamas shot rockets into civilian areas before the ink even dried on any agreement. For this trade, the German mediator has the actual agreement but I personally couldn't care less if Hamas trusts Israeli credibility, or you for that matter. Hamas is a war criminal terrorist group and basically has no moral or human values which undercuts all of their credibility to begin with. Israel has no need to take the high road with these scum, and their supporters alike. Sadly, the rest of the world has been touched one way or another with the same type of terrorist extortion and violence as Israel has, and most have sympathy for Israel's position. As you can see - but never acknowledge - these same countries list Hamas as a terror group, have agreed with ICRC and UN assessment that they commit war crimes, and widely disagree with Hamas' goals of destroying Israel and her people. Most don't even accept Hamas as a valid govt because of their bloody coup in 2007 which, per PLO election law, made them invalid. The question really is - will Hamas honor their agreements and not try to change the equation has they, and groups like Hizbullah, have done in the past. Incidentally, you have justified their under-handed and racist actions in the past. Birds of a feather, I suppose.

Are They GOING TO RENOUNCE VIOLENCE and Murder For Their Freedom? If Not Why Shouldn't They Be Fair Game For Recapture? They Should Just Be Hunted Down And Shot On Sight Just Like The Animals they are!!!

Keeping the Terrorists in jail will not bring back the dead . Worries about what they might do in the future are of real concern but at this point they remain a potential only . In the meantime a Jewish son of all of us was rotting away in hell with the unspeakable creatures of Gaza At what point do we end the torment and torture for the family . Each time we see his photo , are we not reminded of our own children and how we would feel in the same situation . It is one of the infinite number of qualities which separate our people from the black hearted barbarians living next door . Remember that and more when you chastise the government for agreeing the exchange . In any case , there will be many who are already tomorrow's "Dead men walking " Take comfort in that knowledge .

If they decide you are screwing them before Tuesday, and they do read the Israeli press, they may back out of the deal entirely. Shalit would be kept in whatever place they've had him. That would put things back to square one. The whole house of cards is built on trust. And for Israel that includes getting Gilad Shalit back alive on Tuesday. If you don't care about getting him back alive on Tuesday, that is one thing. But for those who do care, not undermining trust is an essential ingredient. Some in the government and in the population are against the deal and have your attitude and don't care if he comes home alive or not. Yoram Cohen and apparently you are among that group, actively working to stop the deal. But others want him back alive. And for that Hamas has to have some reason to trust the promises given to them. Until Tuesday and beyond Tuesday.

History has shown that Hamas has lots of reason to trust Israel. History has also shown that Israel has very little, if any, reason to trust Hamas.

When Israeli government officials are openly talking about having fooled Hamas on a deal just made, it calls everything into question, especially when talking about a key understanding, like whether or not you plan to kill off the people you just bargained to release.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Let's ALL shut-up for now and wait until Gilad is home safe. Hag Sameah,