Gilad Shalit is free

[Winner]

After spending more than 5 years in a Hamás dungeon, he's just been released in exchange for 1024 Palestinian terrorists. Just imagine that, being kidnapped at the age of 19 and losing one of the best parts of your life being held as a hostage of terrorists.

In Israel, 80% supports the release, for the remaining 20% the price is too high.

Thoughts?

 

[Tee Kay]

Conscription is a bit like kidnapping, really...

Anyway, I feared he would be handed over in a coffin, but no, it seems that he's alive and well, that's good.

 

[Hygro]

Honestly it just makes Hamas look bad if their guys are worth 1/(2^10) Israelis.

 

[Winner]

Some idiot from the London School of Economics (with a Muslim-sounding name, of course) on BBC is calling those Palestinians released in exchange for Shalit "political prisoners". Unbelievable

 

[Hygro]

Annnnd that's my cue to bow out of the thread

 

[Ares de Borg]

Good to hear he's alive and free. I'm deeply worried about the pack of terrorists now running around freely, though. I'm not saying every released palestinian prisoner is a terrorist, but a good bunch of them are confirmed criminals. It's not impossible that the Hamas secretly hopes that the IDF lashes out on them, to use it for their own wicked propaganda.

 

[Maniacal]

Good deal for Hamas, a megabyte of Palestinians has been freed up after only removing one of rank and file of the immigrants. Hopefully prison taught them a good lesson and they will be well be- ha ha sorry I couldn't keep a straight face, as if prison works. Though I do hope they stay out of prison.

 

[Winner]

Unsurprisingly, the Palestinians being released are seen as heroes by a vast majority of the Palestinian population...

 

[bathsheba666]

Israel continues it's not so subtle line that one Israeli is worth many Palestinians.

And they are at least consistent; when (can be before, during, or after) an Israeli dies, they make sure tens or hundreds of Palestinians die, so their little tradition is being maintained.

 

[Virote_Considon]

Now all Israel need to do is round those criminals back up again!

Conscription is a bit like kidnapping, really...

In Israel the "compulsory" conscription isn't really compulsory - there are many loopholes out of it, which means it's easy enough for a normal citizen who does not want to be conscripted to avoid being conscripted.

And then even when there's conscription, there's a fair amount of flexibility as to which department you get assigned to. The border guards is where it's the most dangerous, but a lot of Israeli's prefer joining them because there's more activity than in the other branches of, say, the army.

 

[Winner]

In Israel the "compulsory" conscription isn't really compulsory - there are many loopholes out of it, which means it's easy enough for a normal citizen who does not want to be conscripted to avoid being conscripted.

On the other hand, not serving has implications in civilian life; it's a social stigma that's normally associated with the Israeli Arabs and the ultra-orthodox.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Great to see that 1024 Palestinians can return home!

 

[Leoreth]

Please don't take it as antagonizing, Winner, but I'm really curious in this case: as a notorious pro-Israeli poster, do you think this is a good decision? I mean, I'm obviously happy for Gilat Shalit and his family that he's free now. But Israel had to pay a high price for this one, on multiple levels.

What kind of precedent does it set? How dangerous are these released prisoners still (I've heard most of them spent 20+ years in Israeli prisons)? What about the families of their victims?

And worst of all, in the long term sense, was it really smart to give Hamas a victory it can now brag about among the Palestinians while the much more moderate Fatah is denied even miniscule successes?

 

[nivi]

"save a life, save a whole world"

On one side of the scale, 1 pale scrawny soldier, on the other side 1027 Palestinians, and still it tips over in Shalits direction.

 

[wolfigor]

What kind of precedent does it set? How dangerous are these released prisoners still (I've heard most of them spent 20+ years in Israeli prisons)? What about the families of their victims?

Israel was always on the loosing side while dealing with enemies and terrorists.
Unlike Israel, all the Arab neighbors have death penalty for prisoners and obviously terrorists kill their prisoners.
For this reason when exchanging prisoners Israel always had to give more that what they received.

In this specific case the Israeli soldier was a symbol and that's why such a high price was requested and paid.
To some extent they did fight a war over those two soldiers...

This time is exceptional for its size not for the concept: Israel always had to pay a premium when exchanging prisoners.


Personally it feels like a slap in the face of the families of the victims.
On the other end, it also give a message that Israel always protect its citizens.

And worst of all, in the long term sense, was it really smart to give Hamas a victory it can now brag about among the Palestinians while the much more moderate Fatah is denied even miniscule successes?

Yes, Hamas will sell this a great victory ... and to some point of view, it is a victory for them.
They can show to Palestinians that they do get results, even if it's nothing that will make their independence any closer or make the life of average Palestinians any better.
Propaganda victory.

 

[Arwon]

I like the casual assertion that all Palestinian prisoners are "terrorists". It's a cute bit of agitprop, if slightly crude.

 

[aelf]

Some idiot from the London School of Economics (with a Muslim-sounding name, of course) on BBC is calling those Palestinians released in exchange for Shalit "political prisoners". Unbelievable

ahahaha. that guy is Lebanese Christian. lol way to stereotype people.

 

[Leoreth]

On the other end, it also give a message that Israel always protect its citizens.

Does it? Several of those who have harmed or killed their citizens are now free again.

Yes, Hamas will sell this a great victory ... and to some point of view, it is a victory for them.
They can show to Palestinians that they do get results, even if it's nothing that will make their independence any closer or make the life of average Palestinians any better.
Propaganda victory.

Yeah, but it really irks me that the message Israel sends is "try to negotiate with us, you'll get nothing, terrorize and blackmail us, and you get what you want".

 

[nivi]

Yeah, but it really irks me that the message Israel sends is "try to negotiate with us, you'll get nothing, terrorize and blackmail us, and you get what you want".

These people aren't what Hamas wants, they mean next to nothing to it, some of them were literally sent on suicide missions, they are merely pawns in the greater game. Hamas wants a free Palestine, and by Palestine they mean Israel, and that is where they'll get nothing.

 

[Virote_Considon]

I like the casual assertion that all Palestinian prisoners are "terrorists". It's a cute bit of agitprop, if slightly crude.

>implying that these prisoners were a significant percentage of Palestinians imprisoned worldwide
>implying that Hamas would have a vested interest in having prisoners without links to terrorism released in a political prisoner exchange with Israel