Swap:1,027 Palestinians for 1 Israeli

[the iron horse]

BBC News - Gilad Shalit freed in Israeli-Palestinian prisoner swap

 

[INDY500]

Worst trade since the Cubs traded Lou Brock to the Cards for Ernie Broglio.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Ugh the writing in that article is so incredibly biased it's annoying.

 

[the iron horse]

Ugh the writing in that article is so incredibly biased it's annoying.

Could you explain why you feel that way?

 

[the iron horse]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/w...lings-after-israel-hamas-swap-for-shalit.html

 

[LuckyNumber7]

What do you mean? It's written from the side of Israel. They're apparently terrorists and criminals being released versus a super innocent Israeli soldier who did nothing wrong.

"For Israel this has been a day of great joy, but also of concern for the consequences of releasing of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners".

 

[sarit]

Writing "for Israel" was meant to bring a certain point of view. The article didn't state it as a fact. People usually see a bias in a news report according to their own views.

And yes, what can you do, many of the Palestinian prisoners released had a role in planning and executing terror attacks that killed many people inside Israel. It's estimated that 60% of the prisoners released in previous deals returned to engage in terrorist activity (or to be freedom fighters if you may wish). Sure, Israel's authorities are not saints either, but all of those prisoners had the right for Red Cross visits, family visits under certain constrains, their imprisonment condition were monitored by the UN, they had access to higher education and by looking at their appearance on the day of release they received sufficient amounts of food and water. All of the above wasn't meant not to brag of course, it's just the basics.

Gilad Shalit, on the other hand, was held in an unknown place, no one knows in what conditions he lived in for the past five years, he was held in isolation and could only communicate with few of his captives, the Red Cross was not allowed to visit him - not to mention his family. The only sign of life from him was a video tape released two years ago. I don't know what they did to him, but when watching him yesterday I couldn't help thinking that he looked like a holocaust survivor.

 

[anitram]

And yes, what can you do, many of the Palestinian prisoners released had a role in planning and executing terror attacks that killed many people inside Israel. It's estimated that 60% of the prisoners released in previous deals returned to engage in terrorist activity (or to be freedom fighters if you may wish).

I think this is one of those decisions that I am glad I would not have to make.

I worked with 3 Israelis who were completing a medical fellowship in Canada when Gilad Shalit was first kidnapped and I remember them all saying how it hit very close to home because someday their children will have to serve in the army and it could very well happen to any one of them. So I think that he was probably hugely symbolic to the country and that played a large part in what could be perceived to the rest of us as an unfair or nonsensical swap.

In any event, he's a young guy who lost some of his best years and I hope that he is now on the road to recovery.

 

[the iron horse]

I think this is one of those decisions that I am glad I would not have to make.

I worked with 3 Israelis who were completing a medical fellowship in Canada when Gilad Shalit was first kidnapped and I remember them all saying how it hit very close to home because someday their children will have to serve in the army and it could very well happen to any one of them. So I think that he was probably hugely symbolic to the country and that played a large part in what could be perceived to the rest of us as an unfair or nonsensical swap.

In any event, he's a young guy who lost some of his best years and I hope that he is now on the road to recovery.

>>>elevation