I will not relate to the deal itself, because it is so repulsive on so many different levels, starting with the hysterical role of the media, up to the destruction of the principles of law in society. BTW, I wonder how much political leverage the Shalits would have if they were Moroccans or Ethiopians, & Ghilad was not such a sweet, wistful looking "Good Jewish Boy"? (& I write this as an "Full blooded Ashkenazi"!). I am also sure that there are many other "Wheels within wheels" from a diplomatic & security perspective. Personally, I think that the Shalits may wind up moving back to France (at least temporarily), because I think that after the euphoria, there will be a public backlash. However, to my point: I have been told, by someone who knows, that incarceration in Australia (prison facilities, food, guards, medical, etc) for relatively innocuous "almost adult" criminal offenders costs ~A$85,000 per year. Assuming that (at one extreme) Israeli prison facilities are less costly, we can assume $60,000 per prisoner; OR (at the other extreme), to include higher security requirements & a more extended security/intelligence network, we can assume $100,000 per prisoner. Do the math-the "savings" range from ~$60,000,000 to ~$100,000,000 PER YEAR. That is ~NIS 220,000,000 to NIS400,000,000 (New Israeli Shekel)per year. That is A LOT of money. Even considering it as a lower "marginal" cost (the basic facilities continue to exist, so extra prisoners are "cheaper"), it is a lot, although these would hardly be considered the lightweights & "non core" prisoners. With the Trajchenberg Report, & demands for finding budgets for "social justice", do you think that saving money had a part in the considerations? Money ALWAYS has a part in the political considerations of "The art of the possible". Just something to think about, & to add another distasteful element to this episode.

Bravo Yitzhak! Maybe thanks to your questions, Salma will start to understand the truth and her brain cells will start to work properly soon!

Well I was also from the former Soviet Union; though I agree with the fact we weren't wanted there; But Israel is not the only place to be for Jews. My family immigrated to Germany nearly 20 years ago and nobody has ever told me to go to Israel, actually we're all accepted here and people do not even know where I was born since my German is free of any accent and I have the right to live and work in any EU country and Switzerland, where I'm going to move soon to expand business. Hence you're quite wrong with your statements.... But the author is definitely right; so many lives have been risked and to put it straight: wasted, just to catch those animals who are now being released..Prepare yourself for a dozen other Shalits...

well written article.

What is wrong with you people? These are mass murders. Their goal is the destruction of the jewish people through terrorism. Free them all? When you each go to bed every night know that you go to bed as a JEW. Have pride in your country and in eachother. Not in ideas like freeing the people who murder us.

A better suggestion is to legalize the death sentence for convicted terrorists.

Solomon said it well many years ago: "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8:10-12. You get what you reward. Reward abduction and treachery, you will get more and in greater measure. "They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind." Hosea 8:6. But even more are the words of Moses: "[Ishmael] shall be a wild man. His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him." Genesis 16:11. You don't negotiate with wild men or terrorists.

..to hostile areas. Humas folks to fatahland and fatah folks to hamasland. They will take good care about themselves.

At least the explosive-belt murderers are still dead.

You are wrong and naive: kidnapping soldiers doesn't need terrorits in jail!

perhaps the released pal prisoners can be injected with the aids virus before release?

some younger girl who took all your tricks? Poor thang, hooking gets tiresome, doesn't it, dearie?

are the people of Canaan and the people of Israel.

How can an Israeli, living in Israel think that freeing arab criminals will bring peace? Incomprehensible. The arabs understand force. that is their only language. Kill all the prisoners if you want to get rid of them and don't take any more. shoot on sight. No arrests.

Why doesn't Israel have the death penalty? If these terrorist were prosecuted in court and sentenced to prison, why would they be released on a trade with a known terrorist organization? I like your Prime Minister, but this whole trade deal makes me question him. I am praying for the Israeli people. God bless you all!

Adi Mintz enages in brilliant satire. Howevfer, given the disgusting surrender of Netanyahu to P.A. terrorists; I wouldn't be surprised if they DO demand Jerusalem the next time they kidnap an Israeli. Israel has so many options to deal with terrorists. Why did Netanyahu pick the most destructive and cowardly one of all? And this from a Likud P.M. It's so very very sad. The biggest danger Israel faces doesn't come from our enemies. IT comes from our current leaders.

Israel need to start executing murderers, so that anyone with blood on their hands wouldn't be released in some future prisoner swap which we all know is going to happen at some point

The Mexican-American War began in May 1846 and the few marines and bluejacket sailors of the Pacific Squadron and the California Battalion of volunteer militia had California under U. S. control by January 1847 ,In February 1848 the war was over, the 25 years of Mexican misrule with over 40 different Mexican Presidents was over . The California Gold Rush, beginning in January 1848, increased California’s non Indian, non-Hispanic population to over 100,000 by 1850. This increased population and prosperity, Should Mexican people start blowing themselves up now in California, what would the world think??

That was a dumb statement. Obama doesn't control Israeli foreign policy. Israel has always reacted according to it's policy and or objectives. If knocking off a PAL terrorist will benefit Israel without a backlash then Israel will do it. It has nothing to with Obama. The US ( Obama) knocks offs Taliban extremist on a daily basis and without regard to world opinion.