Spoken like leaders who know the deal is real and has already gone through. Only after reading this did I feel the joy that Gilad may truly be coming home this time. Ronsky, however, has his opinion but he decides to state it in public now rather than preemptively. It's time to allow tears of happiness to flow and not to rub salt in the eyes of those who sense this happiness most strongly.

The rabbi disagrees with the rabbis, but he makes sense. To make an entire country, an entire people hostage to one unfortunate captive is insane. To free over a thousand terrorists, many murders will only give us more attacks and encourage more Arabs to try since they know that in the end they will be released and honored for being heroes. In my humble opinion, it is a mistake. I too want Gilad home,but not at any and all costs.

Their joy is understandable. I just wonder how they might feel and live with themselves when 'new Israeli/jewish victims of these freed terrorists will emerge. (it's not a question if, only when). In the meantime, my thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones or the people who are maimed for life and who now see these terrorists go free. They got punished twice and will never stop to suffer. Crime pays...., for this deal is only an invitation for more kidnappings and these terrorists know a sucker when they see one.

To make a family sit "shiva" while their child is alive is sick. I too have reservations about this deal but Gilad is alive and, as a Jew, I value life. That is the difference. Muslims rejoice in death, their own and those they butcher. Quite frankly, the release of these sub-human brutes will neither increase not decrease terror. They will carry out atrocities either way and the world will blame Israel.

Good he isn't still in post. Let's declare the deep and abiding desire of Israel orthodoxy to turn what's left of our democracy into a raving theocracy dead.

Has the Government come to the concludion that it is costing them too much to hold prisioners? thus they want to release more than a thousand for our poor unfortunate soldier, a millitary operation was necessary what ever the cost but giving into the hands of Hamas is a wrong move. What happens to the next person that will be held captive. The buck must stop here- no exchange !!!!!!!.

leaders and kidnap them and their families, hold them in solitary confinement with nothing but toilet shower bread salt and water. make a trade. If not then blow up the buidling where I am and let me move on to the next life. If youve taken the 10 senior hamas and not trade happens put me out of misery. same for all israeli soldeirs/civilians this idea of trading me or shalit or anyone for 1000 unrepentant psychotic crazy bloodthirsty, will-do-it again is logically retarded.

commander in the Sayeret Shaked, he knows what it is to be a combat soldier. I wonder if either of the two chief Rabbis served as combat soldiers?

And you want to have a respect from other nations? This is just one more proof that Israel is run by cowards concerned about their seats only, not the future of the nation. The logic solution to Gilad's situation would be (and still applicable) to kill one terrorist a day what Gilad was in captivity.

If he'd have had one spark of loyalty to the rest of us he'd have popped his clogs!!

It’s good that this Rabbi is a former IDF rabbi His opinion is not in keeping with the value of Jewish life. I do believe the price we had to pay was excessive but, I am sure there are other means to rid ourselves of these terrorists after all the military agreed to this deal. As a byproduct the treasury saves a large amount by not having to pay for the upkeep of these prisoners.

DAVID, Karmiel You are absolutely right, about everything. I'm hope the fate of my sons and daughter will never rest in the hands of this man. Not that I'm ecstatic at the release of these POS's, but I don't want that boy to sit in captivity another second. This family has suffered enough; our sons have been released from the army, have travelled, worked, studied, made new friends, and have gone on with their lives. Now it's Gilad's turn.

Everybody is prematurely rejoycing. Hope Shalitt is not returned in a coffin as Goldwasser & Regev were. And if so, why should all those 1027 terrorists continue living? Help them get to Shahid's paradise a.s.a.p!

The only solution is to tell the Pals that the next terror attack is an act of war, and they will be declaring open war against Israel. That changes all the rules, and Israel is allowed to defend itself accordingly. No more of this phony liberal humanist crap that you can't wage war on terrorism because they are not part of the Palestinian national consensus. Every single Palestinian government, both Hamas and Fatah, openly embraces and encourages terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians - despite the talking heads like Erekat who lie throught their teeth in English to the press and say they "condemn" the attacks. Palestinian policy is terrorism. This is not just me saying it, it's fact and the world's most respected human rights group says the exact same thing. (see below) The Palestinians wage war and pretend they want "peace". It's time to be very blunt and direct: peace means peace, war means war. Terrorist attacks on Israel means war. The Palestinian leadership will have to choose: peace or martyrdom. --------- "Whether or not attacks actually result in civilian casualties, they are in violation of international law, which also prohibits attacks aimed at spreading terror among the civilian population. The patterns of attacks and statements by members and leaders of Palestinian groups also indicate that they have no qualms about launching attacks against civilians and that they in fact carry out such attacks intending to kill and injure Israeli civilians. Such attacks constitute war crimes." Amnesty International

I repeat my earlier comment-....This deral with Hamas is madness. No prisioners, no EXCHANGE! no arrests!..... SHOOT TO KILL ALL TERRORISTS- we got no place for them in our jails. All Terrorists must be killed.

Maybe its time to have proper humanistic rabbis in the IDF who represent Jewish values of compassion and humanity, rather than those who have distorted Judaism into a land grab . Yes some of these terrorrists will go back to terrorism - but with many thousands of terrorists already in Gaza what difference does a couple of hundred more make?

In the past this man has declared that prisoners should be shot and along with any IDF soldier who refuses orders. It's about time that we clip the wings of the IDF Rabbinate and the entire Rabbinical establishment in Israel. These theocratic fascists have no place in our society or, for that matter, in Judaism. Let them become the small, insignificant sect they'd become if they didn't have the backing of the State of Israel.

I hope we don't realise the outcome and consequences of this action. Think how many terrorist action will come from these very terrorist that we are going to free???

This is a joyful day for the Shalits and Palestinian families. 1028 families finally get to have their loved ones back home.

1000 pieces of walking scum in exchange for one mentsch...that's about right. Before releasing the prisoners, castrate and lobotomize them!

home soon. This article and some of the comments make me sick.

israel has its share of growing pains with a continuing lot of naive or stupid leaders. ronsky says that shalit should have been declared dead if no military solution could be found.and that soldiers would not want to be traded for terrorists. Wrong! Captives would want freedom no matter how it would be obtained. No one can argue about the shalits on how far israel was brought. It is a dilemma. But I provided away but the jewish state with its olmert pacifists did not want to do it. Take the haniyeh and their significant partners captive and isssue an ultimatum that they will be eliminate without shalit's release in good health. and if shalit is killed, then you invade and lay waste to the entire gaza. This animalistic arab behaviour goes way back. torture, degradation-they enjoy it. The only deterrents are when they know israel will beat them savagely and I mean savagely, or if there is a peace treaty where arabs become masters of palestine with israel is dismantle. Even then, arabs will kill 100,000 jews,expel 5 million to europe and keep 600,000 jews like olmert and livni, pacifist weaklings.

Ronsky is correct. This Shalit deal equals a short term gain for a long time damage.

you have to put yourselves in his shoes, you would not like it , being held by the lowest of pigs, with no outside involvement for 5 years. This was a crime against the entire jewish nation. The government has long overdue there commitment to this soldier , good luck gilad, shana tova.

How sad that the truth so convincingly expressed by Rabbi Ronsky is not recognized by so many Jews. There should never have been even a discussion about it. His position is the only one that makes sense considering the reality Israel is dealing with.

I can understand the reservations about this deal and I wish Gilad could have been freed in a military operation, but it still pains me to read what this rabbi has said (and I'm not Israeli or even Jewish). Sure this must be an incredibly tough choice for Israel but given the neighborhood that Israelis live in, when has the country ever had easy options? I think the article in Ha'aretz says it best that this is a victory for Israeli solidarity. At least you'll look out for each other and put a premium on life. (I hope my comment does not offend anybody).

I can guarantee one thing. No other nation will follow Israel's lead in freeing 1,000 terrrorists to ransom one citizen. Why not? Because it is pure lunacy. Before the Oslo Disaster, Israel refused to talk to terrorists or ransom our citizens. Instead we freed them by military action. That is the correct way. Entebbe is correct. This deal is lunacy. It is absolute surrender to murderous terrorists.