IDF chief: Bringing Shalit back home is a national mission

If prisoners in US jails did not have competent counsel they can appeal their sentence. Can you say the same for people jailed under administrative detention?

You can not judge Israel from Ireland, if that is where you are. As to being divided, Hamas and Fatah are well far apart and are unlikely to achieve any common goals. The settlers will be controlled when the Palestinians show that they are interested in a peace which both sides internally and externally can support.

"we adore jailing innocents.its a hobby". not as far fetched as you make it out to be. Forgetting the people for this exchange but how about the "less important" people who get jailed indefinitely for minor indiscretions. Go read the article about the Bilin protestors and what happens to them.

in Lebanon. He doesn't deserve his 65,000 NIS per month salary. Unbelievable!

he keeps forgetting his name one minute harzion the next yair then ivri or yirmiyahu and back to harzion He sounds like a whole military division all on his own.

...an expert in military matters... ...am sure the settlers will not disengage from you...

...for his "astuteness"... ...I was sure that he preferred Esther Selkirk...

Yes, he went to the same home where his mother is still alive and Florida is awarding him over $1 million for his trouble. His original conviction was because he was ID'd as the black perpetrator. It turned out that the DNA that was never tested exonerated him.

Simple really. These heroes lie and go back to terror again on release as has occured repeatedly.

Did you know that Israel tax's their own legal prostitutes, if this "tramp tax" is not paid they go to jail. So lets encourage all the legal prostitutes to pay this "tramp tax" and help fund this Israel govt to rule the "holy city" of Jerusalem.

"attacking those responsible for the genocide in Darfur, shows you up exactly for the garbage that you are" Go attack it yourself and leave everyone else to their own opinions...to which they are entitled, oh Murray! Any plans to live in Israel, Murray? No? Don't blame you.

1 he shouted down the prime minister in front of others. 2 he reminds one of israel tal at the end of the 1973 war.seeking popularitty with soldiers. 3 wears his heart on his sleeves. 4 he does not have good relations with some of his best generals such as yoav galant the southern commander.the latter is to my mind the better officer

sharon was at least true to his own people...are you?

esther we know how good and nice you are.you make all the right choices global warming?gimme some capitalism?yuck? socialism?yes please sexual harassment?hang them women's lib? definitely sister settlers?shoot them terrorists?they had a bad break.release them. murderers in jail?they had a bad upbringing.let the go. and on it goes etc etc

Just the fact that you are posting your garbage here, and not spending your time/efforts attacking those responsible for the genocide in Darfur, shows you up exactly for the garbage that you are.

I did not say he is no Mandela. Marwan Barghouti was convicted of 5 counts of murder in a contraversial trial. Barghouti strongly supported the peace proccses and Oslo accords. Many Isralee leaders have blood on their hands Shamir [Stern gang member] Begin [ King David Hotel] Sharone [ Butcher of Beruit unit 101]The list is long Begin who executer British soldier and police went on to win the Nobel pece prize. The point is this, Israel dosen't want peace They want to steal the Pal land. In order to do this they have to keep the Pals divided. Barghouti is popular Abas,though a man of peace is not popular and less so with Hamas. Israel knows this. Remember the Palastinian Ghandi And his center for non violence during the Regan Administration. Why was it so important for Israel to deport him . You would think it would be exactly what Israel would want. They deported him because they knew thats the only way the Palastinians will get theit state. The Gahndi Martin L. King non violence way.

I know it would suit your purposes more if the extremists and rational in Israel were knee capping, humiliating and murdering one another but that hasn't happened yet. However it did between Hamas and Fatah factions. Maybe they found their role models in Sri Lanka, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, East Timor, Indonesia etc... BTW Is it true that Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland now love one another, or does the Bigotry still continue in private, behind closed doors?

Polls showed most Jews would have rather stayed in Egypt.

...that Shalit, a soldier in your command, should be ransomed from captivity, even at a steep price... that is exactly how it should be...

"Better to restrict them from leaving the West Bank and Gaza, where they ciould more easily be targeted" What do you mean, targeted? Release them then kill them by means of extra-judicial assassination?

Palestinian unity is an impossibility.Even if Israel did'nt exist that fact would not change.

First off Mandela is not a murderer.... Barghouti is a cold blooded murderer with dozens of dead Israeli's on his hands... His version of uniting the pals is starting another intifada and getting back to work by making bombs to kill jewish children...

You'll never get Shalit back at a reasonable price by centering all of Israeli policy around the soldier. You're just turning Israel into a political string puppet for Hamas to play with! The next IDF COS should be someone more like a Patton or Grant rather than Lincoln's McClellan.

What a sad joke. The local branch of International Islam, the Likud, knows these Islamic murders will be right back in Israel murdering innocent Jews just as soon as they can get from Egypt through tunnels in Gaza.

says all prisoners including the ones izzy doesn't like and no to exile of any of the prisoners

I am from the big apple! you guessed right. I know some of those men are not innocent but am not convinced all are guilty either. They are not all tried, even in military courts. Many hundreds are held without any charges in so called 'detention'. Imagine that for a moment. Some never see their families just like Shalit. Wishing you well.

Cipora may be a little busy looking up her excuses so here's what you might be referring to- 335 Palestinians being held under administrative detention http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/14/israel.detention/index.html You make a good point,like mark. do not be disturbed by the multi headed hydra, harzion. he posts under numerous biblical names, though funnily enough not quranic ones, nor new testament. 335 Palestinians being held under administrative detention http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/14/israel.detention/index.html

and that not exile ?? mark you overdo the phoney baloney !

To call this an 'exchange' is to give aid and comfort to one Israeli family at the cost of the remainder of Israel and indeed more victims worldwide. If the IDF has to abandon one of their's, sad though it be, the retreat is better than giving our enemy a massicve victory. Israel's answer must be, '1,000 murderers in Israeli jails will receive the same treatment as is meted out to Gilead by his tormentors.'

Israel's insistence on 100 of the worst released terrorists being restricted from living in Gaza and the West Bank if accepted would only make emissaries of Islamist terrorism as these extremists go on speaking tours worldwide. Better to restrict them from leaving the West Bank and Gaza, where they ciould more easily be targeted.

Didn't Obama say he was closing down Gitmo? Hasn't done it yet, I notice...

Oh yes and harzion. Beware the resident obsessive compulsive.

Not al of them had competent counsel. One from Florida was just released after 35 years, once competent counsel was obtained (a Jewish Lawyer) and he went home, was not exiled. He was freed by DNA evidence collected but never tested.

any price geddit it raymond?are we such devils as you would have it?one man for one thousand. i dont want to take too much for granted raymond but just maybe we are a bit alright.

we could call the 1000 palestinians to be released "the wasserstein innocents" in honour of you and your efforts on their behalf. would that suit you.do let us know so we can get the campaign started. hmm, "wasserstein innocents." it has a sort of ring to it.waddya think raymond?

It would mean Israel would hve no more excuses such as we cannot make peace with a divided people. Ironically, itr is Israel that is fast becoming a divided people---and no effort is needed from the Palestinians. It is the Palestinians who can rightly claim they have no peace partner as the Settlers (illegal) rule Israel. Oh what a terrible web we weave----etc.

no raymomd we do not try them.just harvest their organs.

no terrorists here raymond wasserstein.we adore jailing innocents.its a hobby.

"military courts" hmmmm could it be the hundreds of prisoners in guantanomo? rather wise of you not to tell us your nationality.

yes all tried.all got great council.many great perry masons in israel.you may know from our attraction to the law that we have thousands of lawyers all eager to work.we have fantastic leftist lawyers who are eager to point out our shortcomings sleep well raymond wasserstein out prisoners are better treated then those in guantanomo.far better.

Barghouti who has been called the Mandela of the West Bank would unite the Palastinians, Hamas and Fatah. Israel knows this. Israel has agreed to release mass murderers but not barghouti. WHY? Elementry my dear Watson. Israel wants the Pals divided. They don't want peace, they want the land.

Wars will not end in Palastine until Israel which occupies the Lands of the Palastenians since 1948 and 1948 agrees to the UN and other Internationl bodies and leave the Palastenian alone to have a decent live as the other free ppls. in theworld.

Your stuppied and unwise advice to the Israilis had been followed exactly along the past 60 years. Every human person around the wold knows for sure that this was Israel polices since its tragic cereation in the land of Palastine.

How appropriate, that Hamas sets the value of one Jew to hundreds if not thousands of Palestiaians in exchange for one mere Jew. It testifies of the value of one Jewish life, as opposed to one thousand Hamas lives. I think they should ask for more, so the values can be set,,, before all creation. Shalom / Peace / Merry Christmas & Happy New Year And they are not even ashamed before all the world!

How do you know they have been tried. Since so many are known to be held indefinitely without charge, thus without trial. Those who are tried are tried before a military court-no jury. Guilty as charged. Another question. Do you know of ANY so called terrorist who has ever been acquitted in an Israeli 'court'. Even one? Just curious. You seem to be well informed, so perhaps you can deal with these 'simple' issues.

Could you not just put your combined total of 4 lines of text on one post or do you have some obsessive compulsion disorder?

I see Marwan Barghouti's name mentioned again, in the international press as well, as one of those Israel doesn't want freed to the West Bank. Israel sure doesn't want a strong, popular leader taking over from Abbas who could heal the Fatah-Hamas split. Barghouti is serving four life sentences for murder but he wasn't indicted for murder, he was charged with supplying the weapons to terrorist aka resistance squads. Well that's what resistance leaders do when they are fighting an enemy occupation, most of us would take up arms if our own country was over-run and occupied. But if you label him a terrorist and send him into exile, Bibi won't have to meet him at the negotiating table and see Israel's excessive demands torn up before his eyes. For Netanyahu, narrow political calculations are never far from the forefront.

Note this simple fact: Israel can't simply bundle these prisoners onto a plane and "exile" them to some Faraway Land i.e. the Palestinians must AGREE first before that can happen. Ponder the implications of that... This arises because the West Bank is under Israel's belligerent occupation, and these prisoners - regardless of their criminal conviction - are "protected persons" under Geneva Convention IV. Article 49, GCIV: the occupying power can not forcibly transfer protected persons from occupied territory i.e. unless these prisoners AGREE to their exile then Israel can not exile them from the West Bank. So the next time some zionist apologist tries that "disputed, not occupied" shit, tell them that Israel is quacking, waddling, and swimming just like an occupying power.

... that the international community just stands and watches". Yes Natalie G-d is Great.

isnt that a case of glass houses and throwing stones?or let him who is without sin etc?

how closely do you micro inspect yours.the justice system in the united states is notorious.details on application.

If all hope rests on Hamas in Damascus... there will be no deal. Predictably, Meshal hasn't left behind the poisoning attempt on his life. Besides, Hamas is way too proud and way too cold-blooded to accept a concept like 'exile'. So this becomes a really sad chapter... especially for Shalit's parents and family. They must feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. What's heart-wrenching is the realization... that neither Hamas nor the Netanyahu administration can reach-out for even a minor accommodation. And that begs the question, what now... more doom and more pain.

in american jails.did they get competent council?

Yes, we have crazy right wingers, too. We had a bozo who went on Fox News and advocated that the Taliban kill an American captive and do the US a favor. Our press is too focused on who Tiger Woods slept with or what color underwear some celeb wore, if any. They hardly cover US troops, except as fodder for politicians. The press deems it not newsworthy for more than a day or so after anything happens. But it is rare to see US politicians, except Birchers, argue for trashing them any more - and they disguise it better.

captured men.they leave them to their fate.perhaps we are not all that bad.

it is hard to believe that Gaza is regarded to a place of exile. So, when Israel will be able to deal with Gaza. So, to put Gaza aside will bring more and more violence, and it is not right to abandon people to that misery...

It's the West Bank that Israel doesn't want the prisioners released to. And no, the rest ARE murderers or their accomplices or they were just unlucky and didn't succeed in what they set out to do. The innocent civilians they killed (including women and children) are still dead.

There has only been press speculation about who the 100 might be. How do you know they got trials and were convicted or weren't just taken as hostages as the Hamas legislators were taken? How do you know they had competent counsel? Were the trials public? Were they convicted by juries? Based on evidence or suspicion? Was this the same system that released Captain R? Hardly a recommendation. Or is it administrative detention after water-boarding?

100% make the deal, I believe even the parents that lost a sibling to one of the terrorist in jail wants to make a deal. Freeing the terrorist doesn't make them innocent I am sure you that we have not seen the last war with the Palestinians so next time there is a war seek out the convicted terrorist ans be sure to take no prisoners.

a letter to Gilad to 'prove' the Hamas are the 'good' guys? Hamas it is time to prove that you are the good guys for a change. ACCEPT THE TERMS AS THEY ARE FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIVES

these are people who had been tried and convicted for acts of murder, acts of accessory for murder, for conspiracy to murder, for acts of terror and planning terror. they were tried and convicted in a court of law, being duly represented by legal counsel, in accordance with democratic norms, in view of the press, local and foreign. these people are for the most part serving life and multiple life sentences. if they do not want to leave the territories, they can stay in prison. these people have no inherent right to leave prison.

Since Shalit's capture, I have repeatedly been saying it. "Do not let mothers suffer" as a Palestinian, with my Israelis' friends, we expected such end to Shalits' issue. We announced it so loud and so clear. Politicians do not involve mothers in your game. Be brave and put a courageous end to the early start of the capture.On TV i look into Shalits' mom eyes and i do with Palestinian, they are full of heartache, sadness and sorrow. That is too much. Brave step is needed NOW.

Israel won't let 100 Palestinians back into Gaza, Can we assume that 90% of the all Palestinian hostages are actually not murders?

"Drop it, and do what is important, and do it quickly. There is no wasting time. " The fundamental issue of no trades of prisoners with "blood on their hands" needs to hold. No returning to "their homes", no "exile" but allowing the judicial sentencing to take their course: "Do the crime and pay the time". Political motivation is no excuse or would American readers here have appealed that Timothy McVeigh should have been feed? Or John Allen "DC Sniper" Muhammad.. How about Theodore "Unibomber" Kaczynski? America's politically motivated killers "with blood on their hands" are generally given death--- a few got life sentences, especially those whose crimes were committed during the short time that the death sentence was not practiced in the US. Why should Arabs who kill Jews for political or religious reasons get cake?

Each time terrorists kidnapped russians . In dealing against Russia , Terrorist drop off their agenda kidnapping-extortions . It's a stark contrast when compare to the Israel situation . Israelis from the renegade left to the blessed right know that terrorists kidnapping-extortions won't be off terrorists agenda in their dealing against Israel .

If the Palestinian prisoners can't go home to their families neither should Shalit. Dutch P.S. I am sick of this Israeli crap....

One hundred people are not going to bring down the Palestinian Authority. One hundred people will not endanger Israel or Israeli citizens as Shin Bet and the IDF and the PA Security forces will ALL be watching and monitoring them. This is NOT about Israeli security. It IS about the right of the occupier to exile some of the occupied in contravention of Geneva IV. Israel should withdraw from Geneva. It clearly does NOT believe it should apply to Israel. Why did it sign onto the Conventions anyway?

Israel is known to take decades to complete such a deal, do not hold your breath for it. the poor "soldier" will probably be an old man before he sees the light of day.

Exile, this is a condition to sweeten this shameful deal.It is a phrase which does not hold water , just like the Arms embargo on Hizballah and other U.N keeping force actions. These are for the paper only. I do want Shalit back. but not at the price of total surrender of our state.

A Egyptian free pig , a Saudia free camel, a Syria free donkey , a jordanian free horse, a Quatar free sea-bird, a Iran free snake , a Libya free scorpio , a lebanon free monkey are happier than a 'resistance-martyrdom' murderer deprived of freedom in prison .

Is this prisoner trade a signal that the war between Hamas and Israel is over? Just asking...

Is this a fig leaf or what? Exiling those folks will only spread their illness. I guess my essentially conservative view of the world makes me rather being able to easily track folks, than to disperse them where they would be harder to monitor. I guess that Bibi is grasping for a fig leaf to hide the nakedness of his actions. Was it only a bit over 20 years ago when Ronald Reagan tried to insist he had not traded hostages for arms? He was lying, of course, but he felt it necessary to have the illusion for his supporters that he had not done what he had. It is clear from the posts upon this forum that many have never had to make intensely painful decisions on matters impacting human beings at a fundamental level. To put it bluntly there are few here which show evidence of having had to make decisions of who gets screwed, how, and what consequences they must endure. How much does any individual owe his society, fellow workers, employees, those dependent upon him, himself?

No doubt once Shalit has been freed the Siege on Gaza will continue and more israeli soldiers will be kidnapped and more palestinians will be imprisoned, history will repeat it self till peace comes. Truth is Israel does not want peace till they occupy all of palestine, time is running out for Israel and they will pay the price for the greed.

The entire Salit affair exposes a very dangerous weakness in the Israeli psyche.In a just and ideal world,Israel is perfectly righteous in paying any price for the return of the man.But this is a sordid world and Israel is dealing with repugnant inhuman enemies...The result is that they'll try to kidnap other Israelis or Jews abroad,to extort more concessions he State...Israel should make THEM TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THEIR CRIMES...AND THE PRICE SHOUJLD BE SO HIGH,THAT THEY WOULD NEVER TRY IT AGAIN...IT'S NOT AN EYE FOR AN EYE.IT SHOULD BE A THOUSAND TERRORISTS FOR A SINGLE JEWISH DROP OF BLOOD.

Israels policies and actions have insured that there will be ample Palestinian resistance to last several generations. One hundred more or less will be trivial. If Israel wants resistance reduced, then they are going about it the wrong way. Currently, they only make more resistance. In order to reverse this situation, Israel must give the Palestinians a place to live and make their lives. Right now, the Palestinians are confined in overcrowded reservations surrounded by hostile and aggressive settlers whose numbers are growing. The miracle is that the international community just stands and watches. Don't they realize that the problems in Palestine will become problems in France, Germany, the UK, and America before it is over?

This is like signing a surrender after the war, where prisoners of war are exchanged and go home. Israel exchanges its one lone PoW for their lot. That's how Hamas sees Gaza. As their own little fiefdom. And then comes the next chapter. Remember. In every generation. Not just yours, mine or Netanyahu's generation. Or Livni's for that matter. But in EVERY generation. It's written into the Torah. Even when Moshe was about to be gathered up, his arms had to be supported up, and only when they were, did Israel prevail.

You sycophants, if you make this deal you will go down. Don't do it.

Exile means protecting the victims from additional attacks by the very same terrorist DeLuxe facilities await in Gitmo, you can go there and hold their hands

Netamyahu should get his priorities right. The need to protect and secure the life of Israelis, punish murderers and deter future hostility events comes BEFORE the will to release one hostage. Once you put your priorities right, it is quite obvious that the current deal is absurd, wrong and expose the people of Israel to unnecessary clear and immediate danger. Netanyhu?s job is not to present the citizens of Israel with poor options but rather to instruct the various security arms to create a real leverage. If they are no capable of doing so then Netanyahu should reject the deal and wait until they will be able to create such leverage. The current 1000:1 deal does not meet the reasonable test that the PM is obligated to follow and thus if adopted, might provide future victims and their families with a cause of action against the PM and his ministers.

Parents must learn that it is nothing but WAR with an end or two etc.

Netamyahu should get his priorities right. The need to protect and secure the life of Israelis, punish murderess and deter future hostility events comes BEFORE the will to release one hostage. Once you put your priorities right, it is quite obvious that the current deal is absurd, wrong and expose the people of Israel to unnecessary clear and immediate danger. Netanyhu?s job is not to present the citizens of Israel with poor options but rather to instruct the various security arms to create a real leverage. If they are no capable of doing so then Netanyahu should reject the deal, until such leverage can be achieved.

The fact is that not only will they continue where they left off when imprisoned but worse they could force the West Bank into Hamas rule. Although I am for doing whatever it takes to free Shalit, there is no safe way to allow terrorists with blood on their hands to return to the West Bank. Either they go to Gaza or any other country where they are wanted (Iran)or the deal is off. Netanyahu has absolutely no choice in this matter. Of course they could free them back to the W. Bank and then round them up again after Shalit is free...