Video: Latma On The Release Of Terrorists For Gilad Shalit

Latma is back from vacation--and in this video have 2 skits about the deal to bring Gilad Shalit home.

Video: How POW's Are Treated In Islam--And The Reality Of How Gilad Shalit Was Treated

Hamas bragged that they treated Gilad Shalit well--in accordance with the tenets of Islam.
Here is a video claiming to describe how Islam dictates prisoners of war are treated

Arlene Kushner On Behind The Scenes Of The Release Of Gilad Shalit

From Arlene Kushner

October 23, 2011

"The Broader Context" 

Theories abound as to why Netanyahu agreed to the Shalit trade now.  The decision was undoubtedly "over-determined."  As is often the case in life, many different converging factors played into it.  Some -- for example, that he wanted to lift the morale of the nation, or that it was politically advantageous to appeal to the populist spirit of those doing the tent protests -- I prefer to pass by, although they may have played into the decision in some relatively minor fashion.  

A few ideas, however, merit a closer look:

Arlene Kushner On Rethinking The Shalit Exchange And How It Came About

From Arlene Kushner:

October 21, 2011

"Implications"

A familiar but necessary refrain of mine: Shabbat is early and time for this posting is limited.  But I -- along with many others! -- carry the consequences of the Shalit trade heavily on my heart.  There are things that must be said, with continuation as necessary after Shabbat.

As it is, there are those outside of Israel who are still celebrating the holiday and will not see this until after Shabbat in any event.

~~~~~~~~~~

There is no one, but no one, who is not glad to see Gilad alive and free.  That is, as an issue separate from how his freedom was achieved. He came out in much better shape than had been expected -- which makes it clear not that Hamas has become humanitarian, but that they understood his worth to them in a trade.  He has handled  himself with intelligence, including in the horrendous interview to which he was subjected in Egypt. 

May he heal in soul and body, and go on to live a meaningful and full life.  He should never be begrudged this, now that he is out.

~~~~~~~~~~

My empathy for his parents, however, and in particular his father, Noam Shalit, is considerably less. 

Mideast Media Sampler 10/19/2011

From DG:

1) Bell Pottinger Rosenthal Collins and Abramson

There's a surprisingly good editorial in the New York Times today, Gilad Shalit's Release:

One has to ask: If Hamas can negotiate with Israel — and not demand preconditions to talks — why won’t the supposedly moderate Palestinian Authority negotiate seriously without preconditions with Israel, which the PA relies on for a significant portion of its budget?

The editorial correctly notes that it is PA President Mahmoud Abbas who refuses to negotiate. Implicitly it shows that Abbas, by continually demanding a freeze to resume negotiations isn't interested in peace. Okay, that isn't what was really in the New York Times editorial. This is.

Human Rights Groups Equate Murderers And Terrorists With Gilad Shalit

PRESS RELEASE October 18 2011 Contact: Jason Edelstein NGO Monitor +972-52-861-2129 mail@ngo-monitor.org

Shalit's Ordeal Ends, Human Rights Frameworks Fail JERUSALEM - In conjunction with the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) claiming a human rights mandate immorally equated Shalit's situation with that of more than 1,000 Palestinian terrorists and convicted murderers. Professor Gerald M. Steinberg, president of human rights watchdog NGO Monitor, welcomed Shalit's release while noting that this episode further exposes the moral bankruptcy of international human rights mechanisms. "Throughout the five years of Shalit's captivity in Gaza, during which every human rights obligation was blatantly violated, NGOs failed to implement consistent, sustained campaigns to secure his release," Steinberg stated. "Over the last week, these same NGOs, many of whom receive hundreds of thousands of Euros annually from the EU and European governments, welcomed the release of mass murderers responsible for the deaths of more than 550 Israelis."

Jewish National Fund: Plant A FREE Tree In Honor Of Gilad Shalit

Special offer from the Jewish National Fund:

FREE TREE FOR GILAD SHALIT 

Celebrate Gilad Shalit’s release and plant a tree for FREE in his honor.
Show the world what Israel stands for: hope, freedom, democracy, and the sanctity of human life.

Video: After Over Five Years--Gilad Shalit Reunites With His Family

Videos and pictures of Gilad Shalit are being restricted, but here is another video from the IDF of Gilad Shalit reuniting with his family:

Video: Gilad Shalit's Reception After Arriving In Israel

This short clip of Gilad Shalit's return home comes from the IDF: