Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., June 24, 2008 Sivan 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 17:08 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 22:24 23/06/2008 Ex-IDF chief: Sometimes hostages must be sacrificed if ransom is too high By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: IDF, Ya'alon, prisoner swap  Amid talk over a possibly imminent prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hezbollah, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon addressed the topic of prisoner exchanges between Israel and its enemies, saying that sometimes, the ransom paid for Israeli soldiers is much higher than the cost of losing them. "When it comes to the question of a deal, I am one of those people who say that we should give away the minimum of the minimum, and in certain situations I would even say that we should be willing to sacrifice [the hostage] in the face of the price we are asked to pay, because sometimes the price of the ransom is much higher than the cost of losing the hostage," Ya'alon said. The former chief of staff added that "this is a very complex dilemma, and each case should be examined individually. Of course if there is the option to secure the [hostage's] release in a military operation, as we have tried many times before, sometimes successfully, we must take it. If it was possible, we would have done so a long time ago with the current hostages." Advertisement Ya'alon made his remarks in during a conference on leadership at the Tel Hai Academic College in memory of fallen commander of the paratrooper special forces Eitan Balachsan. Related articles: Hezbollah demand on Palestinian prisoners delays swap deal Families of missing soldiers briefed ahead of Hezbollah deal Shalit family won't drop court bid to keep Gaza crossings shut Bookmark to del.icio.us   Justice for Jews London summit focuses on plight of Jewish refugees from Arab states. No place like home Poll: 77% of Israeli Arabs would rather live in Israel than in any other country.   1.   no price is too high for our soldiers 18:04  |  jacques 23/06/08   2.   The IDF must not abandon soldiers 18:39  |  Tzfonit 23/06/08   3.   Yaalon 18:40  |  JL 23/06/08   4.   hostage 18:46  |  moshe 23/06/08   5.   Its a difficult thing to say... 18:52  |  James 23/06/08   6.   Ex IDF chief: Somtimes hostages must be sacrificed if ransom is t 18:53  |  David 23/06/08   7.   Too bad it is not his child instead 19:02  |  mea 23/06/08   8.   "SMART" REMARKS AT THE WRONG TIME 19:38  |  Robert 23/06/08   9.   Israel lost the upper hand 19:44  |  Mark 23/06/08   10.   To holy David # 6 19:48  |  David II 23/06/08   11.   A death penalty to terrorists is needed to end this nitpicking 19:58  |  AliciaYasmeen 23/06/08   12.   ransom 19:58  |  kenny 23/06/08   13.   If these hostages are murdered... 20:08  |  Mike 23/06/08   14.   #11#13 they are today delared dead 20:41  |  Vogel 23/06/08   15.   Ice cold logic required in a very emotional matter 21:06  |  Proud Israeli 23/06/08   16.   Cannot free terrorists for dead bodies 21:28  |  guy 23/06/08   17.   IDF should kidnap Meshal and trade him for Gilad 21:37  |  Igor D. 23/06/08   18.   sometimes...... 21:42  |  ljf-canada 23/06/08   19.   what is an arab life worth 21:47  |  Asif 23/06/08   20.   What a Genius 21:52  |  American 23/06/08   21.   Current citizens: Sometimes wimpy top brass must be sacrificed 21:58  |  Joe Sittizen 23/06/08   22.   don`t simply `sacrifice` them. go and rescue them. 22:02  |  frenz 23/06/08   23.   SOMETIMES gazans MUST BE SACRIFICED WHEN THEIR TRUCULENCE IS HIGH 22:11  |  MOSHE 23/06/08   24.   outsider 22:32  |  Di, the doubter 23/06/08   25.   Unfortunately Ya`alon is right 22:38  |  David 23/06/08   26.   the usual illogic in this and every column 23:17  |  victor hardman 23/06/08   27.   The hard truth - everyone is expendable 02:10  |  spyguy 24/06/08   28.   Come on! Understand what he is saying.... 02:23  |  Johnboy 24/06/08   29.   NEVER, EVER are our soldiers to be "sacrificed". 02:35  |  Fortuna Benmayor 24/06/08   30.   Soldiers are Horrified by hamstrung nation 02:49  |  Slappy 24/06/08   31.   #27 Except Hezbollah won`t prove alive or dead 05:35  |  DesMnsDave 24/06/08   32.   LET ALL ARAB MURDERERS OUT AND THEN IDF STOP TAKING PRISONERS FOR 16:59  |  glenna 24/06/08

Read & React Editorial: We must pay the high price for the return of Gilad Shalit Responses: 76 Truce tensely holding after mortar fire, 2 W. Bank Jihad men killed Responses: 102 Israel monitoring French nuclear deals with Arab world Responses: 37 Poll: 77% of Israeli Arabs would rather live in Israel than in any other country Responses: 185 Court rejects Kahane men's bid to ban J'lem Gay Pride parade Responses: 43 Rosner's Domain New Guest: Israel should've continued blockade of Gaza Al Hura not working? Tell me something I don't know (WTR) Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? Poll: exchange deal with Hezbollah, good or bad? Will we see a record number of Jewish lawmakers? (2) More Headlines 17:08 Israeli soldier kills himself at Sarkozy farewell 16:44 Gaza truce shaken as four Qassams slam into west Negev 16:42 Israel's spymasters concluded 3 weeks ago that troops held by Hezbollah are dead 14:49 Egypt: Gaza crossing will remain shut until Shalit deal reached 11:11 ANALYSIS / Olmert's maneuvers are last gasps of dying man 12:07 Arab World nuclear race / Who has what, and from where 04:16 Jewish Agency launches plan to attract Western hi-tech engineers 16:57 Hamas prisoners freed in West Bank, despite PA pledge to Israel 16:31 Lawyers ask Spanish court to charge 4 alleged ex-guards at Nazi camps 13:49 Fischer: Battle with inflation, recession may have negative effects soon 16:21 Ahmadinejad urges punishment for world powers sanctioning Iran 06:39 Beijing 2008 / Israel sending 38 athletes to Olympics 12:39 Despite recent case, Israelis never excelled as mercenaries Previous Editions Select Day 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Free Hebrew Private Lesson www.iStudyHebrew.com Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved