One Israeli Traded for 1000 Palestinians?

Ah well, good for the boy. It has never been about him personally, he only had the misfortune to have become a pawn in other people's games. Tragic.

Good he's still alive, after the carnage of Cast Lead, putatively also started to get him freed, it indicates considerable discipline on behalf of Hamas to have kept him alive. A good sign. It means that they are disciplined enough for a truce to actually hold. But 'appeasement', from Netanyahu? Curious.

On the other hand, with that off their minds, probably the only other prisoner the Israel lobby wants to see urgently released would be the honourable Jonathan Pollard.

If I read the news correctly, the Israelis hold at any given time about 11,000 Palestinians as prisoners, and in addition to that, in administrative detention, by administrative fiat, without trial, some more 600 (including some minors) for extended periods i.e. the Israelis have a ready pool of people at their disposal for such trades.

Also, this approximately reflects the kill ratio Israel inflicts on Palestinians, as well as the respective value ascribed to a Israeli vis a vis Palestinian lives, so there is probably nothing that Netanyahu would see that could be wrong with this. There was reportedly furiously disagreement in that regard with Liebermann who is reported to have angrily insisted that the tag be set at at least 10.000 Palestinians per Israeli (ok, I made that up).

That said, to have made such a trade for Shalit's release is probably being seen as a religious obligation by religious Jews. Also, since the cause of Shalit has been heavily politicised, his release promises domestic political benefits, which must come in handy for a government under heavy pressure due to widespread large demonstrations protesting social injustice in Israel. Honi soit qui mal y pense ... so, apparently, it is not so curious an incident.

 

This is a great deal for Israel. I'm a little surprised that Hamas agreed to it. I know I wouldn't be happy to be worth 1/1000 of someone else.

 

Snook,
Hamas agreed to it ... because Israel eventually agreed to meet their demands that where known to the Israeli side for ... three years or so. Why now? Israel is not exactly in a position of weakness that compels them to enter into agreeing to such lopsided deals. Why not three years ago? Did Netanyahu wake up one morning, having made up his mind about the matter? Hardly. Point is: Hamas didn't do anything out of the ordinary (be particularly nice, or particularly bad). For all the Israeli propaganda they are still devil incarnate. And all of a sudden, Netanyahu chose to make that deal anyway?

So what happened? The demonstrations happened. It was expedient to exchange Shalit. For all their talk - it has always been possible to exchange him, but the Israelis weren't willing to accept the price. The Netanyahu government is ready now, because they see the domestic benefits outweighing the release of the prisoners.

It is likely to make Shalit unhappy that he was "worth 1000 Palestinians". It will make him even unhappier when he realises that it probably needed the necessity of a quick success to deflect criticism from Bibi to make him worth that much. He was as much a pawn to Hamas as to his own government.

 

Why not release all prisoners and close the border. The upkeep must be expensive.

 

Which border?

 

All of them. Go maritime.

Isreal is in the wrong with the settlements, no doubts.

Land won in a war you do not start(twice)is spoils to the victor.