GILAD SHALIT's unfortunate saga!

As difficult as it must be for the Israelis to accept the vastly unequal deal for the prisoner exchange in order to secure Gilad Shalit’s freedom, the world should nevertheless congratulate Israel for valuing one of its citizens to such an extent.

It's a vain hope! One does not see any of that in the world’s media of course, but we must accept that everywhere criminals eventually do end up being released,- including murderers. Some unfortunately even reoffend.

Whether Israel can, or cannot afford to pay such a high price for one solitary individual is up to the government to decide. But they must have the backing of the majority of their people for taking such a decision and this they have.

The treatment the Palestinian prisoners apparently receive in the Israeli jails may in fact act as an inducement to "return" into more congenial surroundings than their Hamas-led environment may provide them! The cost to the Israeli people is huge to maintain them.

Should they wish to return to live at the expense of the Israeli taxpayers again, getting free board and lodgings and the best educational opportunities apparently up to university degree level,-then they cannot revert to the homicide bombers that some were before,- at least one would hope not!But fanaticism is difficult to erase from individuals!

However the fear is that the 1000+:1 ratio is an inducement for a repeat kidnapping attempt but we must pray that no other Israeli parents, let alone individuals will have to endure what Gilad Shalit and his parents have had to suffer for so long.

Kidnapping for money, ransom and political gain seems to have become a popular activity in the Islamists' arsenal against Westerners in many parts of the world not only among the Palestinians via Hamas and Hetzbollah.

Where and when will all this madness finally end?
Gilad Shalit made it home this time at last.
MM
POSTCRIPT 18/10:Good to see Gilad Shalit well and back home with his parents. I don’t blame the Palestinians gloating over their people returning home @ 1000+:1, but they have all forgotten the 1000+ dead Gazans and many more injured as a result of their attacks on Israel. They threaten more of the same and if it should happen,- they too will suffer more of the same.