It was a huge day.
It was a huge day for many reasons. We gave up prisoners. Lots of them. And in return, we got one guy. But he wasn't just any ordinary guy. He was "everyone's son." Whether he knew it or not, he was the symbol of the Israeli prisoners of war. He was the embodiment of much more than just a tank driver behind enemy lines. He was this guy:
He left a soldier. He came back a soldier.
Much has been said about the virtue in this deal. Without getting too deep into the discussion, I wish to add some thoughts on the reaction to his re-appearance, his return, and the inevitable question: what now? I do not do this to be provocative (although comments are always appreciated). Instead, my main goal is posterity. The main purpose of this blog is share our adventures in Jerusalem and to write them down for our own posterity. If we can generate some discussion, it is a lovely yet unintended consequence.
Gilad's Reappearance
Israel is really well known for their intelligence network. I mean, it's the stuff of legends. Even on a show like Royal Pains, the multi-bajillionare character has a Israeli security force. They're good. So how is it possible that they had no clue where Gilad was for 5 years? This is a HUGE question. So far, the only answer I have heard is that those who had him captured just did a really good job at making sure he never saw the light of day (clearly, by his appearance) and they also did a good job of keeping their mouths shut. Something that might instill fear in some. We may never know the real answer, but it is a question people are asking.
Gilad's Return
The above picture is the one that will likely stick in the minds of Israel forever. The first thing he does when he returns to Israeli soil is salute the PM?! Seriously?! Kid's smart. Beyond the images of his return, a lively debate occurred in Israel surrounding the other big question: was one person worth all of those other people, including murderers? I read an interesting piece in Ha'aretz (I couldn't find it again) where a Rabbi looked at the Halachah on this issue. The interesting thing is that there is strong Halachah on both sides; the inference being that some sources said he should be brought back for a more equal value, other sources saying that you never leave a soldier behind, no matter what the cost. The piece concluded that at the end of the day, this deal was the right one to make at this time. Yes, it's a heavy price to pay, but it was the right decision to bring him home. In another paper, a poll was done of Israelis about how they felt about the decision. An overwhelming super-majority (upwards of 75%) said that bringing him home was the right call.
What Now?
Many people are now skeptical about what will happen next. The pessimists will say that these prisoners will go right back to engaging in terror. I, however, remain optimistic. Here's why: THE UN VOTE. Yup. The UN vote. Right now, the world is watching Palestine with a high-powered microscope. And the question the world community is asking is "can this population create for itself some sense of security?" If the Palestinians are smart, and I hope they are, they will reign in these shmucks. The minute suicide bombers attack Israel in highly populated, more significant regions (such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, etc. and not just rockets coming in from Gaza and hitting S'derot and Ashkelon), the UN will crush their hopes for their own state. In short, if they want to sit at the big kid's table, they need to act like big kids. For this reason, I am optimistic about the security of Israel's citizens.
Now that the dust has settled, the tent has come down, and life is returning to normal, I look back on that incredible day just over two weeks ago. And I only have one thought:
It was a huge day.
It was a huge day for many reasons. We gave up prisoners. Lots of them. And in return, we got one guy. But he wasn't just any ordinary guy. He was "everyone's son." Whether he knew it or not, he was the symbol of the Israeli prisoners of war. He was the embodiment of much more than just a tank driver behind enemy lines. He was this guy:
He left a soldier. He came back a soldier.
Much has been said about the virtue in this deal. Without getting too deep into the discussion, I wish to add some thoughts on the reaction to his re-appearance, his return, and the inevitable question: what now? I do not do this to be provocative (although comments are always appreciated). Instead, my main goal is posterity. The main purpose of this blog is share our adventures in Jerusalem and to write them down for our own posterity. If we can generate some discussion, it is a lovely yet unintended consequence.
Gilad's Reappearance
Israel is really well known for their intelligence network. I mean, it's the stuff of legends. Even on a show like Royal Pains, the multi-bajillionare character has a Israeli security force. They're good. So how is it possible that they had no clue where Gilad was for 5 years? This is a HUGE question. So far, the only answer I have heard is that those who had him captured just did a really good job at making sure he never saw the light of day (clearly, by his appearance) and they also did a good job of keeping their mouths shut. Something that might instill fear in some. We may never know the real answer, but it is a question people are asking.
Gilad's Return
The above picture is the one that will likely stick in the minds of Israel forever. The first thing he does when he returns to Israeli soil is salute the PM?! Seriously?! Kid's smart. Beyond the images of his return, a lively debate occurred in Israel surrounding the other big question: was one person worth all of those other people, including murderers? I read an interesting piece in Ha'aretz (I couldn't find it again) where a Rabbi looked at the Halachah on this issue. The interesting thing is that there is strong Halachah on both sides; the inference being that some sources said he should be brought back for a more equal value, other sources saying that you never leave a soldier behind, no matter what the cost. The piece concluded that at the end of the day, this deal was the right one to make at this time. Yes, it's a heavy price to pay, but it was the right decision to bring him home. In another paper, a poll was done of Israelis about how they felt about the decision. An overwhelming super-majority (upwards of 75%) said that bringing him home was the right call.
What Now?
Many people are now skeptical about what will happen next. The pessimists will say that these prisoners will go right back to engaging in terror. I, however, remain optimistic. Here's why: THE UN VOTE. Yup. The UN vote. Right now, the world is watching Palestine with a high-powered microscope. And the question the world community is asking is "can this population create for itself some sense of security?" If the Palestinians are smart, and I hope they are, they will reign in these shmucks. The minute suicide bombers attack Israel in highly populated, more significant regions (such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, etc. and not just rockets coming in from Gaza and hitting S'derot and Ashkelon), the UN will crush their hopes for their own state. In short, if they want to sit at the big kid's table, they need to act like big kids. For this reason, I am optimistic about the security of Israel's citizens.
Now that the dust has settled, the tent has come down, and life is returning to normal, I look back on that incredible day just over two weeks ago. And I only have one thought:
It was a huge day.
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