Israel, Hamas agree on prisoner swap to free Shalit (1000 for 1 swap)

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 10/11/11 | Jeffrey Heller and Nidal al-Mughrabi

[Mr. Mojo]

JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) - Israel and Gaza's Hamas Islamist rulers agreed on Tuesday to swap more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for Israeli captive soldier Gilad Shalit, resolving one of the most emotive and intractable issues between them.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking his cabinet to approve the lopsided swap and under constant public pressure to bring Shalit home, said the soldier would be reunited with his family "in the coming days."

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip greeted the agreement, brokered by Egypt and a German mediator, with celebratory gunfire. Hamas confirmed that it only remained to conclude technical arrangements for the exchange.

[cripplecreek]

I hate to see the paleostinians go free but Shalit has more than paid his own price.

Hopefully the Israelis have cultivated some spies to be released among the population.

[La Enchiladita]

I remember when Shalit family members visited the U.S. to speak about Gilad’s captivity and efforts to obtain his freedom. I often doubted that he was alive.

Also, there were at least two other high profile Israeli prisoners taken at the same time... right??

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The symbolism of this cannot be missed by a lot of observers.

A single Israeli is worth 1,000 Palestinians.

[Truth29]

Israel's repeated agreement to this type of exchange just encourages more of the same and virtually assures that some of those released will return to kill more Israelis.

[rbg81]

I wouldn’t put it past ‘em to kill Shalit at the last minute.

[kosciusko51]

I was thinking the same thing. Also, that the Palestinians value Jews more than Muslims.

[Tzfat]

A single Israeli is worth 1,000 Palestinians.

A single Israeli is worth more than ALL the Philistines.

[barstoolblues]

I think you’reright about that. But Shalit has become the one most remembered.

Our Shul says a prayer for him to be returned, safe and unharmed every Shabbat. May his families prayers be answered as well as ours.

[ml/nj]

So this is the new "fair," when the Palies kill an Israeli, the Israelis should kill 1000 Palies.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

So this is the new "fair," when the Palies kill an Israeli, the Israelis should kill 1000 Palies.

ML/NJ

[sbMKE]

The life of a single jew is 1,000 times more valuable than the average Palestinian.

The Palestinians set the price, not me.

[sbMKE]

1,000 bombs into Palestine for every rocket lobbed at Israel.

[Slings and Arrows]

Donut gets you a dollar the Palies cancel on one pretext or another.

[SledgeCS]

I actually would not even put up all of the so called Palestinians for the life of 1 Israel Soldier. That part of the world was a total worthless toilet before Israel was brought back and I pray to God that Israel stays alive to spread actual progress instead of the Muzi return to the dark-age.

[Hunton Peck]

I’d short Palis real quick. That’s way above market price.

[Mr. K]

Do they have to be alive?

[rmlew]

Israel's repeated agreement to this type of exchange just encourages more of the same and virtually assures that some of those released will return to kill more Israelis.
Thank you. This is an act of treason as it aids the terrorists and encourages them. Why not arm them while they are at it.
Israel should have done the reverse. It should have shot terrorists one a day until Shalit was let go or killed. Either way, it would save Israelis in the long run.

[chesley]

Can’t disagree with that!

[Pan_Yan]

So I’m watching Al Jazeera while eating lunch in my office (I know, I know, don’t lecture me). Anyway, they are showing the prisoners being reunited with their families. One is a young lady who was six years into a twelve year sentence for a failed suicide bomb attack.

Her father was saying how happy they were to have her home and how much they missed her. HOW FREAKING INSANE IS THAT? How do you say “we missed you” to the young lady you sent off as a teenager to blow herself up?