How come the Israeli gov't was willing to give up so many prisoners for this "criminal's" release and not for a soldier who was defending the State of Israel? Gilad Shalit watched two of his comrades die in front of him, and was taken to Gaza not on his own free will, but instead acting as a soldier in the IDF, unlike Tanenbaum who went to Lebanon to finalize an illegal drug deal. Who's life is worth more to the State of Israel? A middle aged drug dealer, or a young man at the outset of his career risking his life for his country?

But you express the unfortunate truth. That your son said what he said shows, I think, the proper perspective.

i agree with you David Bedein. but then i don't have any children. we shouldn't do any prisoner exchanges, as it will only encourage them to do more kidnapping. as hard as it is for the parents, and the soliders concerned. to fight to get the soliders back, a la entebbe, is a different story tho.

deaths to our people, another kidnapping, more suicide bombings, more missles. By giving into your enemy, YOU LOSE AND WILL ALWAYS LOOSE

The security of the country is more important than the life of an individual soldier. This is not a game of soccer; it is a life and death fight for the future of our country. Parents have to realize that. And those that have given their lives have done so in order that the rest of us can live here in peace and stability. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Our enemies know that we value life. It is the opposite with them. That is the reason they have resorted to kidnappying believing that we will pay any price to get these boys back. We have to take this notion out of their heads by never negotiating with them.

It is a difficult thing to say, but it is the only correct action...negotiate, NEVER! The only way in which to maybe get the abductees back is by applying unrelenting pressure until he is coughed up by the terrorists. Sadly, the well being of an individual(s) must be second to the well being of the nation and it's millions of citizens. Emotions must be put to the side. If it was my loved one, I can't say that I wouldn't do the same as Noam, but it would be up to the elected leaders to make the tough calls and do what is right for the nation as a whole, and not me. Lastly, as to Tanembaum, I'm still confused as to why they were willing to trade for him, knowing full well that he was involved in criminality. The only rational thing that I can think of, is that they needed to get him back alive, in order to find out how much information he gave up/damage he had done (to state security).

You are blessed to have raised a son who understands that there is a life here and a life after. By his desire to protect other Jews, he merits a high place in Gan Eden. If only olmert and peretz had so much courage.

The soldier's life is worth infinitely more than that animal.He and the ones that worked out the prisoners exchange should pay for this.However we cannot free prisoners.But we can start to kill prisoners by the hundreds till our soldiers come back safe and sound.

There is a Jewish life in the hands of murderers that are waiting to kill him. Freeing some 150 terrorists will only add on to the more terrorists there are but not create new terrorists. Israel has to understand it is impossible to get rid of terrorists by searching for them one at a time. You kill one, two more are created. Next time Israel will learn to give the death penalty for murderers and then they wouldn't have this dillema. Now that they are in doubt what to do, definitely they should save the life of the captured Jew. And if you are so worried about "more" terrorism in Israel when freeing the terrorists, Israel will have to wage a full scale war and freeing them will be their reason to do so. Enough of the running in and out of Gaza you are only showing the world that it's not war and you are going in occupied territory.

Mr. Bedein is absolutely correct. The reason that the terrorist kidnap soldiers/civilians is to get their fellow terrorist out of jail. The only solution is for the IDF/Police to either to shoot to kill these terrorist rather than capturing them or for an automatic death penalty for any person convicted or terror against Israel, its citizens and Jews everywhere. This will be the best deterent . Other benefits are that Israel will no longer have to maintain them in prison for the rest of their lives. Its time the people of Israel demand such a solution from its government and courts.

As alluded to by Israel's latest Nobel winner (game theory), the consequences of actions teach a lot. Israel showed its enemies that the consequences of a kidnapping are the release of prisoners. Israel made a painful mistake. The consequences of actions must now be taught in a most brutal fashion. This becomes deterrence. The form it takes can not be Munich like: secret and long term. It needs to be dramatic and obvious: the death of Nasrallah, for example. There are probably solid options and the only question is how hard to make the ordinary citizen suffer. There are pros and cons with making the everyday life of a Lebanese hard as a way to pressure Hizb. While the world will say "Israel declares war on the Arabs," the enemies will know the reality...and ultimately that's all that matters. Time for things in Iran to start blowing up....mysteriously. Go for the oil wells - hit them where it hurts. Diplomacy works in getting support of the West (to a certain degree) but has weakened Israel with respect to its enemies. Time to cash in some of the credits in the diplomacy bank and hit hard and painfully.

I'm really sorry, but how is it possible to release murderers who express no regret? And even ready to commit other crimes? One person is now suffering in captivity, and this is very sad. But how many other israelis would become in danger just because murderers would be released? Industrial phamaceutics call it the ratio Benefit / risk , when they need to improve a new drug before using it to treat patients. I'm afraid the risk is too high, and it's impossible to accept it. Then it would be a green light given to terrorists who know they would be released at any time the next israeli would be kidnapped.

Anyone who has seen my posts knows I side with the Palestinians. Nevertheless Galid Shalit is a young man caught up in the hatred and prejudices of old men. I hope and pray for his safe return to the arms of his family. And when your son or daughter is held as a POW then tell us how his or her life is not worth freeing women and children. Until then, don't pass judgement on this father. Peace be the journey.

Give the IDF got an order for a massive mission in both Lebanon and Gaza to cut the terrorists down to size, we might get the soldiers back. Instead, they are mere pawns. Mr Bedein is not yet in the shoes of Mr Shalit and is right that he cannot judge what he or us would do if we were in them. Nevertheless, we are not in them and the opions the AUTHOR expresses are right as straight as state street.

I assume you mean well, but Mr. Bedein - please - no more declarations about what you think you would or would not do if you were in this or that horrible situation. Concessions far, far greater and ever so much more painful than those you describe will be necessary to bring about peace. But, so far in the Talkbacks the only alternative offered is more killing. Surely the lives of our sons and daughters are worth the price of other alternatives.

nothing hampered the piece efforts on both sides like politicians who put their interests infront over their countries. Natanyahu, arab dictators, Sharon all did things that they deplored when they were in opposition. To say that if this and if that is dispicable, decietful and untrue. it's simply not true. If you're son was kidnapped, you don't know what you would do because you cannot predict until it happens.

Israel should implement the death penalty, and apply it retroactively to every terrorist convicted of murder.

Yes, you have a son currently serving in the IDF. But you are still not in Noam Shalit's shoes, by any stretch of the imagination. Your son is not being held by terrorist killers. Until you suffer like Noam Shalit (Hashem forbid!) you should not assume you would display such stoic confidence, if you were in his shoes.

Thankfully, never having been in that position, I'll refrain from taking sides. However, I feel very strongly that this business of bargaining with corpses is a really bad idea. Israel simply cannot afford to unleash these savages on its citizens in exchange for dead bodies. And while I know it's difficult for the families of these soldiers, this is one of those times when the welfare of the country has to take priority.

A life is worth any price, especially that of an Israeli soldier. If the government is not behind its soldiers, then why would any Israeli citizen want to serve? I don't think that by not exchanging soldiers, terrorists will think twice before trying more kidnappings. Terrorists are terrorists are terrorists and no matter what will always try everthing in their power to beat us. We have the chance now to save Gilad, and the other two kidnapped soldiers, and to avoid an all-out war. Negotiations are a must!

and the author is right: it is not worth the price.

I am an officer in IDF miluim infantry unit. I wouldn't have them release one of these evil murderers for my life. This is elementary Pikuach Nefesh Jewish Law. If I am Kidnapped I will die with a smile knowing that none of these murderers sees freedom on my account

In the world arena it appears that there is less tolerance for us than say 20 years ago...we come across as the root of all evil. Train stations are targeted, innocent people killed, buildings collapse and who is deemed to be behind it all ISRAEL of course. When they take our boys hostage, they kill them point blank, no problems when we capture their terrorists, we keep them in jail feed them, clothe them, educate them, and then after 20 years of good living, without a nagging wife and kids they are set free in exchange for 1 soldier and they comeback to fight the war again this time with more wisdom and understanding of the Israeli society from within. How does that work for us??. If there were no terrorists in the first place there wud be nothing to exchange wudnt that be preferable. Now that we are at war on 2 fronts, the issue of bringing back the soldiers becomes minor in comparison to the needless lives that cud be lost trying to save them...we first have to know if they are alive..before we commit more soldiers to death.

This mentality is precisely what needs to be changed. As for a continuing cycle of murder, there is enough of that going on in Gaza and Israel's actions are making the situation worse. The truly courageous soldiers are those who refuse to be part of an occupaion army, which is the root of the problem. As long as Israel chooses that course the cycle of murder will continue.

Where did you get your sense of what courage is, Sesame Street? This ain't Big Bird with a bazooka, Yaakov. We are fighting heartless psychopaths. Wake up - reality is not fantasy. The root of the problem is Arab intransigence and inability to accept a Jewish state with defensible boundaries in the Middle East. We've been trying to get away from the "occupation" for years but the Palestinians will not allow that. They will always seek a pretext to continue war, and only two points as evidence of that are: 1) Arafat refused to sign any agreement with Israel that ended the conflict and 2) Haneieh is at best offering a 20 year hudna and then "let's see". Yaakov, we are looking out for the next generation, not just this one. It's what people do who wish to contribute to the world more than they take. It's an attitude that the Arabs are sorely lacking. It's an attitude I would not expect from somebody who mistakes the "root of the problem" for Israel's presence here.

You're absolutely right that big concessions are needed. Remember last week the Palestinians wanted a timetable for prisoner release? Well... here's an alternative that requires concessions from both sides: Prisoner release timetable: 1: All Palestinian factions and the IDF agree to an immediate cessation of all violent actions. 2: Palestinians release Shalit. Israel releases one prisoner. This shows that all of us are equal. 3: After one month of no kassams, bombings, mortars, shootings or knifings, Israel releases 250 prisoners. 4. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and other factions explicitly recognize Israel and explicitly accept a two state solution. Israel releases 1000 prisoners. 5. For each successive month of non-violence by the Palestinians, Israel will release another 250 prisoners. The end will be several years of mutual quiet on both sides, allowing the Palestinians to rebuild their economy, and after a little over two years almost all of their prisoners are released. To get the remaining hard-core terrorists released, the PA and Israel sign a permanent peace treaty. Ok Mr. Gardner, there you have an alternative... let's see if you can get the Palestinians to buy into it. I doubt it.

Actually Yaakov, why don't you show some courage by moving to Israel, joining a political party and change public opinion so that your "occupation" can be brought to a close? Or better yet, why don't you move to Gaza or the West Bank, where the majority of people still think that the cycle of violence (which predates the "occupation") is the way to go. Naw... you're probably better off staying in your armchair in the big apple with your oversimplistic analyses....

Yaakov in NY is willing to let Israelis die for peace. How nice of him to be willing to risk other people home. David Bedein, who unlike Yaakov, really contributes. His children unlike Yaakov's serve in the Army. David himself has served in the Army and has always done his Miluim. It is David and his family's life on the line not Yaakov's in NY. As the Israeli government has decided to defend themselves it is our obligation to support them.