Israel releases >1000 Hamas prisoners for release of 1 Israeli solider

[Schiff_FTW]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,1241844.story

Reporting from Jerusalem— Images of the lanky soldier with dark eyes have haunted Israel for five years, but Gilad Shalit may finally be heading home.

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas announced an agreement Tuesday to free Shalit, who was seized in 2006 in a cross-border raid near the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli soldier's capture pushed Israel to tighten a punishing blockade around the seaside enclave, where 1.5 million Palestinians continue to grapple with widespread poverty.

Shalit's captivity has been a source of national anguish in Israel. In a country where most young people are required to serve in the army, nearly every household could identify with the Shalit family's pain.

But the case also triggered national soul-searching over whether to negotiate with Hamas, which Israel and the U.S. consider a terrorist group, and how high a price to pay for one soldier's freedom.

[eduardo89]

Just like Israel kills 1000 Palestinians or Lebanese for every Israeli death.

[ibaghdadi]

Of course, the 1 Israeli soldier coming back home will get more front-page coverage than the 1000 Palestinian families that are being reunited.

[gls]

That's some negotiator Hamas must have working for them.

I wouldn't be surprised if this leads to more attempted abductions of Israeli soldiers, now that Hamas sees the huge dividends it can pay.