The agony and ecstasy of Gilad Shalit’s release

The impending release of Israeli Defense Force soldier Gilad Shalit serves as a victory, but the question is: Who benefits the most?

Shalit’s family and friends are certainly celebrating his return, but it is also an emotional victory for the entire State of Israel, largely because the country’s conscription policy ensures that nearly everyone has a family member or a close friend in the army.

At the same time, Shalit’s release may also serve as a victory for the Palestinian terrorist organization of Hamas, the governing administration in the Gaza Strip.

Indeed, many convicted terrorists are being exchanged for one innocent Israeli soldier who was kidnapped while manning an army post in Gaza.

After five years of captivity, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement Tuesday with
Egyptian mediation to exchange 1027 Palestinian prisoners for Shalit, age 25, according to Haaretz, Israel’s major newspaper.

In a statement to the Israeli Cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Shalit will return in the next few days.

“We are all mutually responsible for each other, as our sages said, ‘He who saves one soul, it is as though he saved an entire world,’” Netanyahu said.

While Hamas has released several confirmed letters, an audio recording and a video from the soldier during the past five years, Hamas has illegally barred the Red Cross from visiting Shalit — a breach of the 1949 Geneva Convention agreement.

Despite the good news and the support of the overwhelming majority of the Israeli government, Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau said Wednesday the agreement was a “great victory for terrorism,” according to Haaretz.

Regrettably, Landau does, in fact, have a point.

The past five years has been a constant struggle for information, and while Shalit’s letters and recordings were confirmed as valid, they came with a price. In exchange for a two-minute videotape in 2009, Israel released 20 female Palestinian prisoners.

And now, because of the agreement, Israel will release the murderers of three kidnapped IDF soldiers, as well as the perpetrator of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem bus attack in 1989, according to Haaretz.

Israel’s perseverance and dedication to the safe return of Shalit is inspirational and truly speaks to the unbreakable bond of the Israeli people and their view about the sanctity of a life.

Perhaps, it also bodes well for future meetings of the mind between Israelis and Palestinians.

Yet, it is important to consider the following: If Israel is willing to release thousands of prisoners for the life of one Israeli soldier, what is stopping Hamas from abducting more soldiers in hopes of liberating thousands more Palestinians, many of whom are terrorists?

More so, what is stopping the newly liberated prisoners from assisting in the downfall of Israel?

Hamas leaders admit to such treachery. Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, called the deal “a national accomplishment” for the Palestinians, who he said hoped to “cleanse the land, and liberate Jerusalem, and unite the Palestinian ranks.”

While Shalit’s homecoming is a grand victory for Israel, it is critical to consider the impact of his release on the overall future of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.     

Like Netanyahu, I’ve been brought up to believe that to save one life is to save humanity. Unfortunately, though, given the challenging state of affairs in Israel, this decision is not without adverse future consequences.

­— esalomon@indiana.edu