Opinion
Shalit deal wrong move
Yitzhak Tessler
Published: 11.10.11, 23:21
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60 Talkbacks for this article
1. This is a joke, right?
Gabriel ,   Tel Aviv   (10.11.11)
Gilad must be set free. Israel makes a promise to all her soldiers that they will not be left behind. How can soldiers fight knowing they might be abandoned? There never was any other option. As for the people who will be freed. Keep the security high and watch them closely. Israel got them once. We can get them again.
2. So what do you say about the releases of terrorist for...
dorothy Friend ,   Tel Aviv   (10.11.11)
.... Sgt. Pinto, the looter? or Tennenbaum, the drug dealer? And now after they are home free you want Gilad Shalit to rot? Shame on you!!!! And what about Mrs. Goldwasser? Would you rathe she be condemned to the life of an aguna like Tami Arad?
3. i do not live in Israel,
mattan ,   merritt island, usa   (10.11.11)
so I shouldn't comment on releasing muderers of Israelis. but, the idiot author of this article can not underestimate the value of a son of israel. His blood is holy as every single Jew. It would not make sense to release any terrorists for bones, but a Jew that is still alive, the value is there. I agree with # 1, just watch for these terrorists, and keep the security on alert, just as they are doing, the enemy already has thousands of terrorists, 1,000 more free shouldn't change the situation and the need to already be careful.
4. ANOTHER DISGUSTING LOW FOR YNET
David ,   NJUSA   (10.12.11)
5. the value of a Jewish life according to our law
Noa ,   B7 Israel   (10.11.11)
Only HaShem knows its value, therefore we are not entitled to take life, but to do everything in our power to save it. Free Gilad Shalit! Let's deal with the consequences afterwards.
6. I'm sure that #1-2
m   (10.11.11)
will not have reacted to the article with negativity but for the religious connotations. Some Israelis hate the religious Jews so much that common sense changes into nonsense.
7. I am willing to take the chance
Moshe ,   Jeruselem   (10.11.11)
8. Absolutely appalled
Cameron ,   USA   (10.12.11)
You just screwed yourselves right royally. One of the stupidest moves I have ever heard of a country making. Floored I am!
9. ?
Maya ,   Chicago, Il   (10.12.11)
I'm sure all the people against this exchange would still be against this exchange if that was their brother/ son being held captive... right?
10. This deal is worse than wrong. It's insane.
Chaim ,   Israel   (10.12.11)
There is an excellent reason no other nation, except Israel, would ever make a deal like this one. This deal is worse than wrong. It's insane. Before the Oslo Disaster, Israel refused to ransom captives out of principle. It was a sound moral principle which served Israel well. One we must return to. In those days, Israel freed captives either by rescuing them (as at Entebbe) or pummelling our enemies till they freed them. That is the correct way to do it. However to free a thousand terrorists for one hostage boggles the mind. We can only imagine how many terrorist atrocities will be launched by this lunatic deal and how many Israelis will be maimed and murdered as a result. Absolute lunacy!
11. Bad, bad commenters
nospam   (10.12.11)
Since it is reasonable to expect a frenchman to surrender when his life is in danger, even if it can cost potentially 100-s lives to his compatriots including women and children, from released terrorists, its prudent not to put Frenchmen at the front lines, as they actually practice themselves in France by using foreign legion foreigners to defend themselves. Nothing new here, Italians have been hiring Swiss to battle for them for centuries. Neither of commenter seem to live close to Gaza to take into account that families but not theirs can get suffered as a result of massive terrorist release. Shame on you.
12. NO, MR TESSLER....
Brant ,   Hilton Head USA   (10.12.11)
As has been the case with all prior rratios of eleases of Arab prisoners, be it 1000 for 1 or 500 for 1, all it really demonstrates is how little value they place on human life and how much value Israel does. That's the only thing that matters.
13. Re: Cameron
Dave Michaels ,   US, Midwest   (10.12.11)
I agree completely with you, this a huge mistake, and will only lead to more kidnappings, more deaths etc...
14. 231 new murdered Israelis to save one soldeir; best to
Foolme, 17times ,   Knesset   (10.12.11)
kidnap the 10 most senior hamasniks and their families and give them all solitary confinement and bread and water and see what can be done to get gilad back. This is whacked
15. Proof of our worth ! One for 1000 !
miri ,   israel   (10.12.11)
Those in other countries cannot understand this exchange - we have no choice if we want to repatriate Gilad, and before it is too late. Thank G-d for this news and may Gilad arrive home soon, safe and sound.
16. And why risks soldiers to capture terrorists?
Ariel ,   Israel   (10.12.11)
17. I totally agree with this article
Zionist ,   NYC, USA   (10.12.11)
Gilad Shalit is one individual. The detrimental effect of releasing 1,000 Palestinian terrorists poses a huge threat for Israeli citizens.
18. Why accept the premise? A better way...
Sanity ,   USA   (10.12.11)
Why accept the premise that Israel must give any terrorists in return? Israel should take 1km per day of Gaza until Shalit is released - keep marching and remove everything that exists in the land taken. Shalit will be released in a few days. Done.
19. Article is a painful truth!
Ellen ,   Israel/USA   (10.12.11)
20. A nation packing the train to Auschwitz.That's todays Israel
Al   (10.12.11)
Mark this day as the beginning of end for the state. You will never ever live this down. This sad day will mark the end of the modern state. What you deem to be strength is actual weakness in the eyes of the enemy. They have you marked for death.. They will go in for the kill, for they know you are weak, pathetic and selfish. You're done!
21. I agree. It's a very bad deal.
Reuven   (10.12.11)
Even though we get our Gilad back.
22. #15 stop deluding yourself. It is just proof
(10.12.11)
of your insanity. Hamas knows it and has squeezed you to the maximum. Next time, they will ask for 2,000, then 3,000 etc. IT WORKS. It has nothing to do with value but everything to do with their ability to break you. It is psychological not mathematical.
23. You do not speak for the majority or for the moral
Mea   (10.12.11)
Let me remind you dear writer, that you are one man speaking for yourself and that is exactly how you should have couch your terms and justification. The facts is that the majority support the Shalit deal and I can prove it. Both Chief Rabbis endorsed the deal. THEY are the "fathers" of the people who make moral judgements for the collective good. Prime Minster Netanyahu makes decisions based upon many factors, most of which none of us will ever be privy to. Unlike your fantasy, his reality does not include the option to set aside huge facts on ground. You throw stain on a beautifully hope for moment and spew on top of that an insinuation that there is an associated value shared between Gilad Shalit and the US felon Pollard. There is not.
24. Morality is also an asset
Avramele   (10.12.11)
The strength of our people is dependent on it's military position, it's political resolve and it's moral fortitude. This deal speaks to how we view ourselves and how we value our soldiers and life itself. We are on balance stronger and more united moving forward.
25. Pollard? You've got to be kidding
Dovid ,   Los. Angeles   (10.12.11)
How can you compare Shalit and Pollard? Pollard, who hawked his secrets around looking for the highest bidder to betray his country. You are either a sucker, or a person who thinks someone should get away with criminality because he's Jewish (which is a disgraceful and immoral viewpoint, not to mention completely against Torah).
26. the price is high and getting higher
tom ,   toronto, canada   (10.12.11)
at this "price" how many more soldiers will be kidnapped? hamas has scored a victory, and will try to repeat this as many times as they can. the government failed to even publicize the illegal and inhumane treatment to which gilad shalit was subjected, or to even so much as demand proof that he is still alive. let us just hope and pray that he is! to prevent more kidnappings, hamas must be made to pay an unbearable price, or they will do it again next week.
27.  IF NEXT WEEK THEY KIDNAP ANOTHER?
AF ,   USA   (10.12.11)
What happens if a week after Gilat Shalit returns they kidnap another?
28. But the price isn't inflated...
Ariel ,   Karmiel, Israel   (10.12.11)
1 Israeli solider is just worth 1000+ Arab prisoners -- the price sounds just right to me. Shows how much more we value our citizens. Not to mention many of the releasees are getting close to finishing their sentences so they would be been let out anyway. And the IDF will recapture many in a short amount of time. Blessings to Gilad Shalit and his family, may he have a long beautiful life.
29. is it proper?
Larry ,   Los Angeles   (10.12.11)
First, I want to see Gilad released but is this the proper way to do it? I am not a rabbi or lawyer, but it seems to me that this method just gives the Arabs a greater desire to kidnap Jews and Israelis in order to use them for bargaining chips later. Instead, I would recommend execution of convicted terrorist murders and a very heavy military campaign to continue until they release Shalit (or any other captive Jew) and if not we continue to destroy their infrastructure until they comply. I realize that the nations of the world are against this, but I believe that my suggestion is a better choice. It will teach them that there is a heavy penalty to pay for kidnapping and that they can not kidnap and release terrorists. Worse yet is that what we are doing only gives more hope to would be terrorists that if they are caught they will eventually be released and become heroes.
30. The release of these 1000 terrorists is the death
Yossef   (10.12.11)
for hundreds of israeli. Except if they are sent in Gaza.
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