re: #522 pingjockey
Yep - with or without US backing, Israel has to do what’s right for Israel. Period. And, iirc, Israel’s defense systems and technology produce enough of everything Israel needs (except maybe for long range, in-flight tanker aircraft) so that the US can’t blackmail them by saying “don’t do that or we won’t give you x,y, or z.
I do seem to recall someone else being taken prisoner with Shalit, but also seem to recall that his dead body was turned over to Israel some time ago.