Erekat: Don't link Shalit swap to Fatah-Hamas schism

bite the bullet, grit your teeth, and just do it already! you're going to anyway, so you might as well beat the inflation by doing it now. shalit needs to get home, and so do the 600+ palestinians, aside from the 450 must haves, who are held for minor offenses or "obtained" confessions during administrative detention. bottom line israel is paying with those of the 450 who have committed REAL crimes... and releasing them does NOT increase the terrorist threat against israel. THAT is determined by hamas and the circumstances at any given time. these guys aren't going to unleash another wave of terrorism on israel. it'll be hamas who does, or does not; and if it does, it'll do it with or without them.

Captive Israelis are like bonds. The longer they are held the more they cost to redeem. The original demand when Shalit was taken captive was a few hundred women and children prisoners in exchange. Since then it has continued to rise. Now the price includes some really nasty characters and a few Israeli traitors. The price will continue to rise. Israel should either deal now, or announce that no Israeli will ever be redeemed. But could it stick to the latter?

This has to be really tough on Noam and Aviva Shalit. Ruthless men on both sides haggling over their son with the hope and fear that must produce.

Do you know why Israel is in trouble right now, with war crimes files at the UN? It is becouse of collective punishments against Palstinians. What you sugesting now, Israel already tried on Gaza, in the hope people will rise up against Hamas and topple them. That dream failed and now Israeli Generals cannot come here in London, without thinking 10 times and off course their lawyers. Wake up buddy and read the news and watch some TV.

Israel is recognizing the soldier Shalit as a pow by exchanging prisoners with Hamas. But in the same time it keeps in jail thousands of palestinian political leaders (potential terrorists, fighters, resistors, what are they?) Many under age (around 350), many with no charges, like Ahmad Sa'adat who is joined by thousands of other Palestinian prisoners, including political leaders, in facing imprisonment by the authorities of the military occupation. These include 36 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council democratically elected in 2006 and 3 government ministers, including Sa'adat and Marwan Barghouti.All this is deeply immoral and justifies the adduction of other israeli soldiers in the future.

Israel does not have to give in to this blackmail. There is another way to bring Shalit home. Israel does NOT have to continue supplying Gaza with water, gas, electricity, food and medicine. When Hamas is under REAL pressure they will release Shalit. Until then they will keep raising their demands. The kednapping of Gilad Shalit is a humanitarian outrage which requires a proportionate response: a REAL humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Israel is not filling its jails for pleasure or profit. On the contrary, it is unpleasurable and expensive to have Pals or anyone else in her prisons. Israel is filling those prisons with persons who seek to harm her and Israelies and that is the way it should be. As to Judge's point of release before there is another kidnapping, what a proposterous point. All the release will do is incentivize Hamas to do more kidnappings. Despite that, the principle has to be to do what is reasonable to get Shalit back.

Unfortunately, it seems once again that Hamas does not understand the language of reasoning but rather comprehends bombs and missiles. Why Hamas wouldn't made a deal to see 1,000 of their terrorists returned home in exchange for one solider is beyond me and is just another example of Hamas's poor leadership. If Israel wants Shalit home, they need to speak the same violent language as Hamas. They missed a perfect opportunity last year and should have only ceased their operations in Gaza on the condition that Shalit was returned.

Fact! Another soldier will be kidnapped, whether this deal goes through or not. And when it happens, there will another three years of negotiating, leading to another deal, to another soldier, ad nauseum.

look at previous negotiating deals in the past. Israel has made lopsided prisoner swaps has been met with more kidnappings. Simple reason that in Israel no soldier or civilian for that matter should be left on the battlefield. Now as a simple advice to you let the Israelis decide what is an appropriate deal. You obviously have no clue of the situation so its best you keep your ignorant mouth shut. Good day.

Hamas continues to add new requirements to the release of 1 soldier. they ask for 400 and israel says 'OK' and then Hamas add more conditions

come on natalie- you're such a big talker..why dont you take in these wonderful hamas excuses for human beings...stock up on a little humus and pita, get some oil for your lamps, dig a few tunnels in case there's a strike at whole foods, and voila! I think you'll make a fine host.

The number of murderers on the list is not short. No country would agree that this is anywhere near a fair or just "deal" , and while Hamas will celebrate it's prisoners as heroes with "righteous" blood on their hands the world knows the difference, and that is the difference between democracy and the sanctity of human life and the glory of death and war which Hamas loves. That we cannot expect anything less from Hamas is sad, but the world is full of such glorified idiots killing in the name of their religion.

Palestinian families are crying for 11 thousand Palestinian men,women and children imprisoned in israeli jails. The majority of them are innocent and kept for any future exchange

It seems the same old, same old. First Hamas makes a demand, then show almost no flexibility, then blame Israel for the failure. So far they are getting 435 for 1, and still that isn't good enough! Any fair minded person would consider the deal now to be more than fair. But I'm not surprised to read the usual suspects still blaming Israel.

Release the prisoners and complete the deal before another soldier is abducted.

It is not as if Israel cannot fill up their jails once again. They should do the deal and move on.

I predict there will be no deal b/c of excessive demands by Hamas. They are being way too greedy, Nor do they have the flexibility needed to negotiatie properly. Thus, NO DEAL can be made with them. And, without a deal their position will be weakened considerably among the Pals.

... doubtful that Hamas will be more conciliatory... on the contrary...