The Gaza cease-fire has been holding for nearly six hours. Its longer than I, in my usual pessimistic way, thought it would. One issue that bothers me is Gilad Shalit's father, Noam (see article on Haaretz's English Website). I know this will not be popular, but honestly, do we need to stop all progress whatsoever until we get Gilad Shalit back. I believe that we need to bargain and negotiate, and do everything in reason to get our POWs back, but there is a limit. Gilad Shalit was a soldier that undertook risks to protect his country. It seems unreasonable that his Father would expect the whole country to put this single soldier above common sense.
One thing that Israel really does well is keep attention on its POWs. Every few hours, before the news, we get a daily update on exactly how many days "our children" have been in captivity. There are bumper stickers, flags, prayer services, all focused on keeping public attention on our three captured soldiers. We know their names, what they look like, we have all met their families on TV and radio. I think this is great, and its very Israeli. But, on some level, these were soldiers, and I feel holding the whole of the country hostage seems unreasonable.
I also know that in a few years blacksono could be in the same dreadful situation, and sincerely I hope that as a father I would be able to see the big picture. Man, I just don't know.
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23 hours ago
2 comments:
I just read in Yediot Ahronot about Barak saying we shouldn't free this Kontar guy for POW dead bodies. I am thinking - we waged a war to get this guys back amongst other things, so releasing a murderer that did 30 years in jail is bigger than that? I find it funny.
And frankly, I don't think that setting a soldier who was captured free as big a thing as we make it in Israel. And it is not just soldiers - Israeli's in trouble around the world (if it is their fault or not). The first thing we ask whenever something happens around the world - were there any Israeli involved? Another side of this is caring for ancient history, old graves and old stories - why don't we take care first for the live ones?
This is getting completely out of hand. The Shalit parents are now going to the High Court of Justice to demand that Olmert justify the decision to agree to a cease-fire deal with Hamas that does not include Gilad. Where does this end.
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