Gilad Shalit's situation is tragic, but it is not in a bubble, and Netanyahu is right not to just give in. In fact there should be no swap at all. Israel has always said there would be no negotiations with terrorists. And every time we do it, it bites us back. A father has to keep trying for his son, but a PM has to look after the nation.

While I feel for Noam Schalit as a father and understand that he cannot be objective, others should think about what may happen. 1000 terrorists are released. Let's say 90% give up terrorism. That means 100 will be back to trying to kill Israelis. Let's further say that by the grace of God 90% of those fail. That means there will be 10 successful acts of terrorism, God-forbid. When ten (or more) people are murdered by these scum, what will the Schalit crew say then?

Netanyahu is absolutely right. That Noam Shalit would suggest Bibi is simply recycling "Olmert's press conferences" is mean spirited selfish, and arrogant. As PM, Netanyahu is responsible to the nation, not to one soldier or one family. Hamas is attempting to ramp up emotional pressure to get Israel to cave, and Noam Shalit plays into their strategy. Better he should push to tighten the pressure on Hamas prisoners.

No terrorist with blood with their hands should be released. Remember Shiek yassin released by Bibi in the 90's.He ordered many suicide bombings and killed many innocents. How many innocent people would be killed for the life of one man.? http://ralphsrant1.blogspot.com

For every day that passes, they (Hamas) should lose 1 prisoner for the exchange of Gilad Shalit starting at a 1000 down. If 100 days passes, Hamas will lose 100 in the exchange. Stop this madness of releasing murderers in the the dumbest exchange in history. Remember the families that lost their sons and daughters in the most vicious and cowardly act of terrorism only to have some return to kill more innocent victims. Start planning a mission already and get our Gilad back bravely. Peace.

Agree with Raymond on his support for PM Netanyahu. God bless the PM for his steadfast leadership at a critical time! Agree about Hamas as well... only thing good to say about them, is at least they are "honest" about their hate, as opposed to Fatah!! Where I disagree is about the Shalit family. They ARE doing the right thing and need to keep the pressure on. We must REMEMBER and hope for Shalit's safe return soon!!!

of the future victims of the very terrorists they are marching to release. They want to exchange one prisoner for some funerals? IT DON'T MAKE SENSE. Stupid.

Imagine that it were your sons who had been let in a dark basement for 4 years.Imagine, please. Your 2 sons are well,eating well,sleeping well...You too. Now,look at the picture of Gilad's mother ,father and brother... Do for them what you would do for your sons! Bibi has a profile that I don't like:he keeps quiet,but acts dictatorialy,trampling anyone who goes in his way. In Israel,things should be not like that.Israel does not have a king and its people live in a democracy where people should know what's really going on and decide together its fate.

Shalits family's attempts to free their son, is understandble, but frought with danger (to Israel). With Iran about to test nukes, and Turkey siding with Islamic radicals (and Egypt/Jordan stradling the fence), this is not, and has never been about Shalit. Yes its tragic..but living in Israel involves risks. 25,000 Israeli deaths since 1948..vs 6.6m Jewish deaths from 1942 to 1945...says it all. Hamas is morally wrong..but their entire govt (leadership) is wrong. Israel is at war..and Shalit is a pawn, his family being used very wisely by Hamas. Israel's mistake: not hanging these terrorists..after their capture, trial and prosecution. Get it! In Arabia, girls are flogged for "mingling". In Arabia, people are beheaded. My advice to israel. next captured soldier,bomb them 24-7. If Shalit is harmed...you have Barghouti.This is not a girl scout picnic. Released terrorists will cause Israel more casualties..these guys are not your friends.

The Shalits have one interest only in mind, the freeing of their son. Who can blame them for that? But the Prime Minister has a responsibility to all the people of Israel. There is after all a question from the other side, of whether or not he is violating that trust by agreeing , as he apparently has agreed, to release one- thousand terrorists in a prisoner exchange.

With all the problems Isarel faces most of the stories in the news are about Shalit. Maybe they can capture Noam so he can be with his son and the country can get on to the important things ...like surviving.

Fed up with all the people living abroad and minding OUR business!! We don't need your opinion and YES, we do want Gilad back.......... who are you to give your future victims, so shut upl. There is, there was, and y other terror attacks with the release or witout the release of Gilad. Keep your comments for your own country.

And you have put a huge black mark against yourself for being a cold hearted, uncaring fool.

You forgot to add that Yasin is in hell without any virgins=he is dead.

Only a complet closure of the borders of the Gaza Strip, no electricity, no fuel no food, no humanitarian and medical assistance, nothing, without any exception AS LONG AS NEEDED, will bring to the liberation of Gilead Shalit. There should be no other option. More over the problem of kidnapped soldiers at : http://xrl.us/em3de

the IDF has announced and a Palestinian militant group confirmed that it abducted an Israeli soldier in the center of Israel. Though the police have thrown up roadblocks throughout the area, given the announcement from the abductors that they’d completed the operation, it seems likely they have made their escape. This one occured within Israel proper and means that the kidnappers infiltrated the country and procured a car. All this would entail a fairly extensive operation involving a number of co-conspirators. This will shock Israel and rattle the nerves of the entire country. The camera then withdraws and the viewer sees that the captors are settlers who proceed to argue about what their demands should be. As they list each demand (eg. end of the settlement freeze, amnesty for attacking police, creation of preferential development zones for settlements, etc.). What happened to the Shin Bet-Mossad complex?

As an outsider we dont expect you to understand at all. So please keep your stupid comments to yourself.

Very well said, Helene.The outsiders think they have the right to dictate to us. They dont.Unless they live here, they will never ever really know how it is to live here. Nuff said !

There is another option Ron & that is for the IDF to go into Gaza & get Gilad. Problem is they dont know where he is & of course he is moved constantly from one dungeon to another.

You developed your own sub-culture which is to put your citizens at risk by releasing hundreds of terrorists to get back one Israeli prisoner. It does not matter to you if many other innocent people get killed at the hands of those same terrorists. It don't make sense! And you don't like people telling you the truth, do you!

Every single one of them died unnecessarily....

As a Jew and supporter of the State Of Israel I will continue to voice my opinions which as an outsider are many times closer to the truth than those so close to the situation. And God knows Israel needs all the ouside friends it can get. In the very end, once Obama is no longer president it will be America that saves Israel from the surrounding Muslims. No other country will even care if Israel is no longer. As for Noam Shalit he would not care if Israel was turned into a suburb of Gaza as long as he got his son back. That is fine for him but not good for israel, nor you. I've always heard, from those who have visited Israel that Israel's citizens can be very rude, and you certainly are.

You are a very angry person who doesn't see the forrest for the trees. Shalit is worth no more than any brave Israel service person who gave their life for Israel. It is not worth endangering other Israeli citizens, by trading known terrorist, just to get him back. Perhaps if Noam shut up his son would no longer be of use to the terrorist and as a good will gesture they could release him, but as long as Noam stirs the pot, his son will remain a prisoner.

The more noise Noam Shalit and his backers make the less chance his son will be released. Or the more the terrorists will want for shalit to be released. Noam is continuing to imprison his son.