Netanyahu: Shalit's release means I have accomplished my mission
Speaking at an IDF base after meeting with the freed Israeli soldier and his family, PM says did not want Shalit to share fate of missing IAF navigator Ron Arad.
Tags: Shalit swap Gilad Shalit Benjamin Netanyahu IDFPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday following the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit that he had accomplished his longtime mission by setting the abducted soldier free after five years in Hamas captivity.
"On this day, we are all united in both joy and pain," Netanyahu told the press conference summoned at the Israel Air Force base in Tel Nof upon Shalit's arrival.
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Gilad Shalit salutes Benjamin Netanyahu following his release from five years of Hamas captivity, Oct. 18, 2011. |
| Photo by: IDF Spokesman's Office |
"Two years and a half ago, I returned to my post as prime minister and one of the most important, complex missions I found on my desk was to return Gilad Shalit home alive and well, the premier said, adding: "Today that mission has been accomplished."
The premier said that the decision to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal that secured Shalit's release was "very very hard," but added that he had focused his efforts on "returning home he who was sent into battle by the State of Israel."
"I know very well that the pain of the families of the victims of terrorism is too heavy to bear," said Netanyahu. "It is difficult to see the miscreants who murdered their loved ones being released before serving out their full sentences. But I also knew that in the current diplomatic circumstances, this was the best agreement we could achieve, and there was no guarantee that the conditions which enabled it to be achieved would hold in the future. It could be that Gilad would disappear; to my regret, such things have already happened."
"I thought of Gilad, of the five years in which he rotted in Hamas captivity. I did not want his fate to be that of [missing IAF navigator] Ron Arad, who was taken captive 25 years ago and has not returned home since," Netanyahu said. "I remembered the noble Batya Arad. I remembered her concern for her son Ron, right up until her passing. At such moments, a leader finds himself alone and must make a decision. I considered – and I decided. Government ministers supported me by a large majority."
"And today, now Gilad has returned home, to his family, his people and his country. This is a very moving moment," said Netanyahu.| A short time ago, I embraced him as he came off the helicopter and escorted him to his parents, Aviva and Noam, and I said, 'I have brought your son back home.' But this is also a hard day; even if the price had been smaller, it would still have been heavy."
"I would like to make it clear: We will continue to fight terrorism," Netanyahu declared. "Any released terrorist who returns to terrorism – his blood is upon his head. The State of Israel is different from its enemies: Here, we do not celebrate the release of murderers. Here, we do not applaud those who took life. On the contrary, we believe in the sanctity of life. We sanctify life. This is the ancient tradition of the Jewish People."
Shalit was reunited with his family for the first since being released from Hamas captivity at the Tel Nof base, where he was also greeted by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Meeting Shalit after the Israeli soldier arrived at the base, Netanyahu said: "Hello, Gilad. Welcome back to Israel. It's so good to have you home."
Shalit was officially passed into Israeli custody earlier Tuesday, after spending 1,940 days in Hamas captivity.
In talks with the Shalit family members earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu expressed his joy that their son and brother would shortly be returning home after five years of captivity in Gaza.
"I am delighted we've arrived at this day. In a short time Gilad will return to you," Netanyahu told the Shalit family, hours before Shalit was officially released from the Hamas captors who had held him hostage for five years.
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"I know very well that the pain of the families of the victims of occupation is too heavy to bear for Palestinians," said Netanyahu. Netanyahu calls the people under occupation hi enemies and once again got the opportunity to spread hatred rather than friendship.
The more the media will talk about its role, trying to cover up, the more it will sink. Shalit, Welcome Home Boy!
everyone wins netenyahu and hamas, only losers are victims families and Fatah. Good job netenyahu, your blundering policy errors will cause grief to many. He has only done this to save his own skin
shame on the government and bibi for making this deal. their job is to worry about the safety and the security of the whole country, i am not a bereaved family member but i am now worried for my children and grandchildren whose lives in our country have now become alot more insecure. some people should never be pardoned and 450 of them were just released. sometimes there are casualties in war.....our enemies are laughing and planning the next kidnap!!! are all you haaretz readers delusional?
Not because you've pressured or outsmarted your opponents. Hamas have won. It got what it wanted. It chooses the intensity and timing of the conflict with Israel. Hamas didn't want to kill Shalit, that was evident from the start. They would have released him in any case. But releasing Shalit after Fatah has failed at the UN showed the Palestinians that Jews can be handled only by the use of force, not by negotiations.
he only thinks of his own reputition.
The repurcussions of this monstrously bad decision by netanyahu will reverberate for years. So that barak and netanyahu can pose in front of the cameras for a photo op - instead of having the guts and character to have either 1) ordered a mission to free schalit 2) executed one hamas leader after another until he was freed they chose this lunacy. How many future israelis will be killed by terrorists who see this as a major sign of capitulation to terror, and are emboldened by it? Even worse, how many will be killed in attacks conducted by these same released terrorists? Noam schalit is an idiot, he is trading hundreds, if not thousands, of other israeli lives for his one son - what kind of characterless fool would accept such a move? The israeli government should never have approved this abomination, past ones have never led to an improved security situation for israel. Impeach netanyahu and call for new elections.
You destroyed the peace efforts. Peace is farther than ever for Israel now!
Netanyahu looking on as Noam and Gilad Shalit embrace following Gilad's . . . WHAT ABOUT PALESTINIAN FATHERS?
an agreed to peace deal between Israel and Palestine
any input?
Bless you, loyal and worthy servant Mr. Prime Minister. Your friend from Sarasota, Fl. Shalom!
What accomplishment. Hamas kidnapped Shalit and held him for ransom. Bibi paid the ransom and paid dearly. Anyone could have done it. An accomplishment would have been bringing Shalit home without having to free terrorists and murderers who feel no shame and openly stated that they are not sorry and will kill and kill again. Big deal any moron could trade 1027 terrorists for one soldier
...now Gilad is home, you can do no more!
Bring Peace to the M.East Now! Mr. Netenyahu.........Israel has potential to be Switzerland of the Middle East...and we can be only proud of it...This can be achieved with a proper peace only...with your silly policies you are the biggest danger for Israel. You like or not those Hamas and Fatah people have power to sit down with you and give chance to real peace..You cannot sleep another 100 years with your guns in Israel and expect for a miracle. Be logical and LISTEN properly those people too...Do this for a better future for Israel...PLEASE!!!
What mmakes Tony's posts so worthwhile to Haaretz's quality control supervisor's? Can't figure it out!
if he accomplished his mission he can the fuck resign and make some space for peace...
Welcome back Shalit on behalf of my entire family. we are really happy. We prayed every day for this. god has heard. from Siena with friendship with the people of Israel
Welcome back Shalit on behalf of my entire family. we are really happy. We prayed every day for this. god has heard. from Siena (italy) with friendship with the people of Israel
well, disappear now in oblivity
The released murderers will now set out to murder more Jews, and blood will be on YOUR head for this asinine agreement to release more than 1000 terrorists.
Completed your mission? it means that you will go home and you have nothing more to do. Why prime ministers and Presidents do not retire/quit jobs when reaching 60 of their ages (retirement age in most countries), are they made of different cloth? May be if you go home some other one (which I doubt) would replace you and conclude peace with Palestinians.
So...you think that Palestiniam murderers can use any means and tactics and they are called "freedom fighters" by you! However if the Israelis also try do defend their freedom, they are just bloody "murderers" to you? i`m sorry,I try to be neutral, but I can not accept your logic...
mr. Netanyahoo. Way to go! You have saved the ME and world as well.
no matter how much they hate the PM, he always one ups them...hopefully this is the start of massive building in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, the main thing that this country needs now
Be careful what you wish for.
Some people cannot stop making the most stupid and irrelevant remarks. Unfortunately there are to many of those. Their minds being infected with hatred and blurred vision.
You should be ashamed that it took you so long...
Congratz! This is a very good day for us jews all overthe world!
This is such a nonsense. I wonder who you are...The conflict has nothing to do with one soldier, two or 16 soldiers. Check out the PLO/PA flag, the flag of the "moderates". These people wont stop to murder, kidnapp and torture Jews until Israel is destroyed. Just do your homework. To everybody else: Hamas will use every possibility to kidnap and murder anyways, with Shalit in freedom or not. It does not matter to them at all. It was just a way to ridicule Israel and torment Jews, if one individual or a the nation, or both. The arabs want all of Israel, piece by piece by peace.
Mission accomplished? Then retire, please.
and let Kadima bring peace to all the M.East.Enough is enough!
While we ae so happy to see him home, this deal was perverted. More people will be killed and kidnapped as a result of this.
No israel, No Palestine. One Man, One Vote, Equality for all inhabitants. Equal Pay for Equal Work, Equal Water Rights. No Apartheid, No Segregation...A Very True Secular Democracy. Let us call it:”State of Holy land”.
In fact you are right to some extent, your government proved now ' IT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE OF PEACE' .. Shalit is a human; he should be free and live free exactly like PALESTINIANS who also deserve freedom . . .
So tell me judith, who is the PM of Israel in 2030? Or better still what are the winning numbers of next week's lottery?
...Netanyahu should have shown more modesty, and he should first of all have thanked all the people that have contributed to the struggle. The spirit of Israel is great, and my tears of happiness for the Shalit family is at this moment mixed with thoughts about a Prime Minister that seemingly is moving further away from his people. Again - he should have shown modesty. God Bless the Shalit Family and the people of Israel. I urge our Prime Minister to step back: we all appreciate your decision. But you are not the one and only star. Israel is full of stars - of great human beings.
true, but apparently Bibi can never win the leftists. If he would not do it, they blame only him, if he makes this decision then is an accomplishment of many, very fair rating....very fair
Is there anyting else possible?
You are correct! That's what I was thinking. He always brings it back to himself and what HE did. He's a narcissist, so this is to be expected, I guess.
israel also needs urgently new and young leadership with open mind. Not those right-wing extremists. The World is changing. The M.East is changing. Israel remains with the same narrow minded leadership since its creation. So get rid of Lieberman, Shas, and the piffle from Likud.
When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them
fairy tales has no place in the 21st century.
and as for the mossad i am open to offers