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Bring down the curtain By Israel Harel Tags: Israel, Gilad Shalit "The spirit of the nation is now devoted to one thing: Gilad Shalit." That, briefly and precisely, is how the president described our feelings to his guest, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority. Thanks to his family, assisted by the drama-hungry media, Shalit's release has indeed been raised to the level of the country's most important mission. And the politicians, who have taken note that his release - rather than the dozens of critical national issues for which they are responsible - is the focus of public interest, agree to this order of priorities. The genuine sadness, sorrow and mourning that emerged upon the return of the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were also accompanied by euphoria, external displays and sentimentality, if not worse. And the storm of emotion - which, though authentic, was also inflamed - has led to the unfounded fear that Shalit will also come to harm. Had they been motivated by true nobility and a sincere and determined desire to restrict the voyeurism and the invasion of privacy, the media, as well as the embracing politicians, would have understood the limits of the permissible. But there were some people who were not satisfied with the private mourning and wanted national mourning from the outset - one reason being to use this national mourning to prepare the ground for paying an outrageous, even irresponsible, price in exchange for Shalit. It is not only modesty, restraint and nobility that were lacking in what happened, and in what was broadcast to Shalit's captors; wisdom was lacking as well. When Shimon Peres (and like him, dozens and hundreds of others) declares that the spirit of the nation is devoted mainly to freeing Gilad Shalit, he raises the price demanded by Hamas, thereby complicating the negotiations and distancing, rather than advancing, the day of his release. When Miki Goldwasser declares "I'm a soldier for Gilad Shalit," Hamas concludes, rightfully, that the lobby demanding the captive's release, in effect at any price, has been joined by a key figure who has already forced the government's hand once. And all the more so when its leaders announce that even "the amazing Karnit" Goldwasser (and there is no one more skilled than she) "has expressed her desire to participate in the activity for Shalit." Advertisement Something very bad has happened to many of the decision-makers, the shapers of public opinion and the main players in the affair of the captives: They have lost their wisdom. Worse, they are living in a fictional world and repressing the cruel reality. They are casting themselves in a drama in which the media, especially the electronic media - by their very nature, and not only due to political bias and a desire to create emotion and dramas - are orchestrating the moves. With proper and courageous behavior, the government could have caused Shalit to be a burden to Hamas rather than an asset. It could have made all of Gaza a hostage, not Shalit. Even now, it is still possible to achieve such a situation. But for that, we would need a determined government with an ability to rule - one that inhabits reality and does not accept the part of an extra in a drama in which the enemy largely determines the moves. Hamas is demanding 1,000 prisoners, no less, in the wake of the success scored by Miki and Karnit Goldwasser, while in the past it was satisfied with about 450. Now that the president and other politicians, including cabinet ministers, have joined the competition to declare their absolute commitment to bringing back Shalit (with the demonstration in Rabin Square also adding a little fuel to the flames), the price is even liable to increase. Channel 2 even drafted John McCain, the Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, to demand Shalit's release. By so doing, it hardened Hamas' heart even more. Shalit will be released sooner or later, alive and well. His captors - whose identities, like those of their dispatchers, are known - are well aware that they will pay a high price if he comes to any harm. But if there is a wholesale release of terrorists in exchange for him, that will not be true for future captives. Menachem Landau, a former Shin Bet security services department head, claims that if Israel pays such high prices for dead bodies, from now on every kidnapped soldier will be killed and his body kept in refrigeration until the desired price is attained. In that way, the kidnappers will be spared the expensive, difficult and dangerous logistics of guarding the captive. To shorten the process of Gilad's release and ensure that the price paid will not cause weeping and mourning in the homes of many more families, all those who want to help him must stop using the affair for purposes of image, politics and the media. Instead of enjoying the status granted him by the president, he must once again be the son of Aviva and Noam Shalit. And if the relatives of the captives from Lebanon want to be active in the public arena, they can utilize their impressive abilities in many important areas, even if achievements in these spheres do not merit the embraces of politicians and the media. Bookmark to del.icio.us   The bigger apple Study shows Tel Aviv is more expensive to live in than New York. When bedbugs bite After 40 years' absence, Israel braces for return of the bedbug.   1.   Gaza is a hostage 10:07  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08   2.   Harel`s version of proportionality... 10:20  |  Esther 24/07/08   3.   22 to 3 !! Never forget what Kadima`s government voted 10:29  |  S 24/07/08   4.   Look at it another way... 10:56  |  Esther 24/07/08   5.   #2 Was there any outcry from the "moderate" Palestinians?.No! 11:00  |  Hastaroth 24/07/08   6.   Someone who advocates freeing terrorits has no moral standing 11:39  |  Ilan 24/07/08   7.   Harel`s primitive worldview 11:40  |  Danny 24/07/08   8.   Re Hastaroth #5 11:53  |  Esther 24/07/08   9.   How does the author thinks to accomplish this? 12:16  |  Tulip 24/07/08   10.   SO WHY DIDN`T WE DO THE 12:39  |  Robert 24/07/08   11.   Leftie Esther would abolish courts and jails,it all 13:06  |  Absolute Sweden 24/07/08   12.   WHY should Arabs get Red Cross,Family and conjugal visits? 13:45  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   13.   to # 8 Take hostages and play Nasralla games 14:14  |  CM 24/07/08   14.   Re Esther #7 14:33  |  Hastaroth 24/07/08   15.   And one more thing,Esther #5 14:45  |  Hastaroth 24/07/08   16.   Esther & Hastaroth (& Tulip) 15:09  |  ivo 24/07/08   17.   Harel mounts the soapbox and shouts his frustration to the world 15:56  |  Johnboy 24/07/08   18.   #12 The greatest of Nations? 16:03  |  John Allen 24/07/08   19.   #13 CM has a brilliant idea! 16:05  |  Johnboy 24/07/08   20.   Natalie - for once we agree 18:12  |  Arie 24/07/08   21.   Mr Harel - a brilliant article. Thank you N/C 19:02  |  M 24/07/08   22.   # 19 When in Rome do as Romans do 19:47  |  CM 24/07/08   23.   Simple, logical and legal way to pressure Hamas: 20:06  |  Dr. L. Brnd 24/07/08   24.   Critical to release Hamas "politicians", Shalit a side benefit 20:17  |  Voice of Reason 24/07/08   25.   It Is Up To The Soldiers Themselves 20:25  |  ZADOK 24/07/08   26.   Kidnapped Israelis are Dead Israelis 21:39  |  Slappy 24/07/08   27.   Yes, all Jewish terrorists, must not be released 22:30  |  KMS 24/07/08   28.   An overall intelligent article lacking generosity of heart 23:28  |  M. Malik 24/07/08   29.   Shalit, et al 23:37  |  Donald Berman 24/07/08   30.   "as they would treat others" 00:07  |  Scharker Yid 25/07/08   31.   Re CM `s #13 good advice... 00:27  |  Esther 25/07/08   32.   YES 00:31  |  DocD 25/07/08   33.   YES 00:31  |  DocD 25/07/08   34.   End the vile siege,you rotters and release the Palestinian 00:58  |  lakshmi 25/07/08   35.   26 shalit was a soldier in uniform and he was captured.He 01:01  |  lakshmi 25/07/08   36.   #23 Dr. L. Brnd. Treatment of prisoners. 01:29  |  Maureen Ann 25/07/08   37.   A burden? What Nonsense! Killing Shalit will lose them nothing.. 01:44  |  mariana 25/07/08   38.   #10. What makes you suppose that IDF/Israel learnt anything? 01:48  |  mariana 25/07/08   39.   # 19 02:27  |  Dan 25/07/08   40.   HOW IS BEING A BURDEN GOING TO HELP GET SHALIT HOME?MERT IS A 03:42  |  glenna 25/07/08   41.   LAKSHMI.Stop terror ,stop rejecting peace,stop targetting 04:09  |  PETER SM 25/07/08   42.   Be careful about what star you wish upon 05:10  |  Hannah 25/07/08   43.   Last Laugh 06:57  |  Neil Golan 25/07/08   44.   To Zadok 07:07  |  Otto Rand 25/07/08   45.   So-called Hannah #42 we`re on the right side 08:56  |  Hastaroth 25/07/08   46.   Ivo #16 that`s exactly what I am saying 09:00  |  Hastaroth 25/07/08   47.   Voice of reason #24 09:04  |  Hastaroth 25/07/08   48.   Simple solution: Keep no terrorists alive. 04:07  |  Chaim 26/07/08

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