Kol hakoved to this un named official for saying the hard words that almost no one wants to say. This may be a good deal for the Shalit family BUT it is a bad deal for everyone else. As an aside, I find it interesting that Rabin, the leader who the left accredits with being willing to do everything and anything in the name of peace, is once again quoted as not being quite the liberal his supporters today claim he was.

It is impossible to compare Arad and Shalit. Shalit was held in Gaza. Israel could have done a house to house search, or built in Judea and Samaria until Shalit was freed. Arad was held in a Syrian or Iranian prison. There was no way to rescue him except kidnapping Dirani and others. But then Sharon (the man who ethnically cleansed Gush Katif) freed Dirani instead of kidnapping more, and the High Court even let Dirani demand damages

the points he makes are mostly conjecture. You cannot fairly reach the conclusion he reaches and certainly not to the point that justifies sacrificing another man's son. As to having any affect whatsoever on the risk of another kidnapping, let me armchair this for you: your influence matters only in the exposure to opportunities for being kidnapped as an Israeli. This is because, clearly, the Palestinians will take advantage (any advantage, anywhere and anytime) to kidnap again. That's the risk level that never goes down, got it? There are many new realities on the ground these days and few would disagree with this: Israel has changed, there have been SIX wars in the region since Arad was taken. Lots of stuff has happened and the Palestinian leadership is starting to grasp the idea that getting a seat at the international table involves behaving like the other countries at the table. There many more changes coming and more possibilities of war sooner rather than later as the middle east quakes. Gilad Shalit's handlers on both sides happened to get him out during a wrinkle in time. They took it. The people who are being released Tuesday will return home to communities experiencing post intifada quietness, post Sharon and post-Arfat-Rostini-Yassin quietness. Now we will see what they bring to the table. Perhaps they will need to be target and eliminated. But in the meantime, the nation of Israel and all Jews have a burden lifted from our conscience with the return of a boy coming home as a symbol we can live with.

The Israeli government and media should raise the profile of the sacrifice being made by Israel by issuing the profiles of the murderers who are being released so that the world can begin to understand the immorality of the release of these cold blooded killers against a background by Hamas leaders of further kidnapping and murderous threats. Hamas and its publicity machine should be exposed for the terrorist organisation that it is, that seeks to murder , mame, kidnap extort . These are not ordinary civilian prisoners being released.

What if Gilad Shalit is dead? What if Shabak knows very well about this? What if this deal is just a bluff, to show the Israeli people and the entire world how Hamas deals with its prisoners? How Hamas negotiates on a fake ground? How these lousy brainwashed idiots from Hamas and other factions want to trigger war... Think about this scenario: Israel releases the prisoners, but there is no Gilad Shalit to be released. That would be a definite "casus beli" against Gaza, and this war will be (this time) approved by the international community. This war will trigger a regional war with Iran, and nobody will stay aside: Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Hizballah. Egypt will do what is wise for it: support Israel (openly), because of its internal political unstable situation. Just think that WW1 started (as a pretext, of course) because one man was killed: Franz Ferdinand, the heir of the Austrian trone. This time there is Gilad Shalit, a popular person in Israel and abroad. My advice is just prepare for what is worst in the very near future. Oh, God, I really wish I am wrong! I really wish that this kid is not dead, but think about Ron Arad, think about all the persons kidnapped by these terrorist groups... I wish I am wrong and there will be no war here starting within the next weeks.

99% of them put him into office. They got what they deserved. Leopards don't change their spots. It is hilarious what he- The Great Bulldozer- did to his fellow rightists.

With Shalit no longer in Gaza, the PM, who I greatly respedt, will be free to bomb the hell out of Gaza when the first missle is fired at Israel. And "take out" the Hamas leaders, too!

I am just logical, not paranoid :-). And I definitely want to be wrong, and that Gilad returns safe home.

Israelis go absolutely bonkers when their sons - military or civilian - fall into enemy hands. The enemy knows that and takes full advantage of it. They know Israelis can be emotionally manipulated over the issue, and that the media will promote a policy of capitulation. (One shudders to think what Israelis will cede if one of their daughters is captured.) To fully appreciate how foolish Israelis get one only need look at the Manbar affair where, in the remote hope that an Iranian arms dealer could provide leads to Arad, Israel allowed Manbar to sell Iran sensitive weapons technology. It was patently stupid, yet none but Manbar were ever held to account. Now, beyond Shalit, Israel is dealing with the Grapel capture. Egypt knows it has no case against him, but wants Israel to release 81 Egyptians they're holding. Israel has become the world's patsy because they allow their hearts to overrule their head.

There was buyers remorse about Sharon's decision on Gaza and there will be the same for Netanyahu's decision re Shalit. As much as everyone prayed for Sahlit's release, the price is too steep and the precedent too dear.

It is not as though losing Ron Arad protected this country from terrorism. There were/are plenty of volunteers to hurt us. The real key is to do anything we can to release our captive sons, all the while making sure the Palis know terrorism doesn't pay. If we would ever, say, really strike them after a Sbarro bombing, and remain consistent, that is what will protect this country, not trying to flex our muscles, of all times, in the negotiating process for the release of a captive. We say that they will think we are weak for trading 1000:1, but what really makes us weak in their eyes is giving mass murderers life in college, rather than executing them.

this article is the voice of reason and experience.israels survival depends on acting sanely.one mans life is not worth the lives of 100s.no one has the rt. to do it.if an arab hijacker seized a el al plane and said let all the arab prisoners out ojut or iwill fly the plane into telaviv and kill 1000s would you release the prisoners or blow up the plane with innocent people on it. these questions are not one of good or bad but bad or worse.the torah says"follow these commands that yee may live".releasing 100s of murderers is a determination that israel not live.

HE'S RIGHT! I would also like to add that NOAM SHALIT has crossed all border lines. When he needed the press etc - he knew how to use them. Now when they want to cover the story - he pushes them away. He has a lot of NERVE. This "Naive" man should really disappear. Enough of FESTIVAL GILAD. Too many people are sufferring now as they suffered when their loved ones were killed.

Me too! Not just todaybut - FOREVER!!!!