At a special cabinet meeting in Jerusalem held late in the evening of October 11, 2011, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu obtained the approval of his ministers for an already-negotiated and signed prisoner exchange deal that would see the release of IDF solider, Gilad Shalit, after five years of captivity by Hamas. The Jerusalem Post is reporting that a mediator was able to craft an agreement to which both Israel and Hamas agreed, and which would see the release of over 1000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit’s freedom.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the text of Netanyahu's opening remarks in which he acknowledged that, although painful, the deal would “actually bring Gilad home.” He went on to say, “ In the last few weeks, the negotiations were renewed in Cairo, this time with the Egyptian government as mediator. My instructions to the team were to adhere to the principles and framework that are important for the security of the State of Israel...”
Gilad Shalit: Prisoner of Hamas
Gilad Shalit is a 25-year-old Israeli soldier kidnapped from within Israel by Hamas-linked terrorists in June 2006 during an illegal cross-border incursion. Since then he has been held incommunicado, with no family access, in an undisclosed location within Gaza. During that time, there has been only one sign that he is still alive: a video released in which a pale and thin Shalit is shown reading from a dated newspaper. Many previous attempts at negotiating his release through a German mediator failed.
Israel Sees Risk in Release of Palestinians
The newly-approved deal was reached on October 6, 2011, and signed on October 11, 2011. Details are yet to be released but according to AFP, 1027 Palestinian prisoners currently serving sentences in Israeli jails will be freed in exchange for Gilad Shalit. Haaretz ir reporting that the list of Palestinian prisoners includes Marwan Barghouti and Ibrahim Hamed, both convicted for mass murder. Within Israel, there has been much concern that the release of these and other prisoners will prove dangerous for Israeli civilians.
Stressing the need to balance the desire to bring back an Israeli citizen from captivity with the need to maintain the safety of all Israelis, Netanyahu said, “This is my dual responsibility as Prime Minister.The deal I am bringing to the Government expresses the right balance between all of these considerations. I do not wish to hide the truth from you - it is a very difficult decision.”
Arab Spring Provides Opportunity
Citing also the current upheaval of regime changes in the region as being a factor in his decision to present the deal to his cabinet, Netanyahu said, “I believe that we have reached the best deal we could have at this time, when storms are sweeping the Middle East.”
He went on to state that it was uncertain whether in the future they could have been able to reach a better deal, perhaps even failing entirely: “ It is very possible that this window of opportunity, that opened because of the circumstances, would close indefinitely and we would never have been able to bring Gilad home at all.”
Both Hamas and Netanyahu Pressured
During Shalit’s captivity, non-governmental organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Committee of the Red Cross brought pressure to bear on Hamas. Citing the breach of international humanitarian law, they urged Hamas to release its captive. World governments also issued condemnations of Hamas and called for Shalit’s humane treatment and release. Prominent American Muslims, including Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison also urged Hamas to free Shalit in order not to jeopardize the Palestinian bid for statehood.
In Israel many groups have formed to support the family of Shalit, and to bring pressure to bear on Netanyahu to reach a deal with Hamas. Shalit’s family became active protesters, writing letters and demonstrating outside the Prime Minister’s office.
In his remarks to cabinet members, seeking their approval, Netanyahu said, "The Nation of Israel is a unique people. 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.' Tonight, I bring the Government a proposal to save Gilad Shalit, to finally bring him home to Israel after five years."
Netanyahu further stated that Gilad Shalit could be home within a few days.
Jen L. Jones - Based in Canada, Jones writes on human rights, history,and the natural world. She focuses also on Turkish and Scottish travel and ...
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