re: #601 Alouette

I think he’s alive and his family will be grateful for finally having him back in their loving arms. It may be a matter of a week or so before that finally happens (the list of names of the terrorists being released will come on Sunday apparently). Shalit will be transferred to Egypt prior to handing him over to Israel.

This sad chapter can’t end soon enough, but I worry that another Israeli will soon take Shalit’s place. Hamas and other terror groups haven’t stopped such attempts. The security fence has made that a much more difficult task, but it could still happen again. It’s a concern that Israel’s defense establishment has to constantly deal with - and weigh the benefits of a swap for what Israel gets back in return.

One Israeli for 1,027 Palestinians.
One Israeli for 200+ terrorists responsible for 599 Israeli murders.
One Israeli for Hamas celebrations welcoming home terrorists with hundreds of life sentences commuted.

Hamas remains unrepentant over the whole episode and sees the deal as a sign of ongoing weakness.

Israeli leaders likely see this a sign of strength - that they can withstand the release of such terrorists and it wouldn’t alter the security calculus. I wonder whether they’d change their mind if and when one of the released terrorists murders still more Israelis.