A video of Gilad

October 1, 2009 - 1:46 AM by David

giladThe news that Hamas is going to hand over a one-minute video tape of captive IDF soldier Gilad Schalit has been dominating the news today.

According to the Egyptian and German teams that helped broker the deal that will see 20 Palestinian female prisoners released from Israeli jails in exchange for the tape, it will provide enequivocal evidence that Schalit, who has been in captivity for more than three years, is alive and reasonably well.

It will be the first time that Schalit’s family will be seeing images of Gilad since he was captured in Gaza by Palestinian gunmen.

While it’s a far cry from seeing him released, I’m sure the family will be spending sleepless nights until they receive the tape on Friday. They issued a statement Wednesday night saying, “We wish to stress that although this is a first step in the right direction, the family will not rest until Gilad is freed after almost 1,200 days in which he has been held in a Hamas prison. Both sides must continue the determined process that has recently begun until the final result is quickly achieved.”

It’s bound to be quite a shock when they do finally see the video, as it’s certain that the Gilad Schalit who’s been held prisoner for so long will bear little resemblance to the 18-year-old boy that the country has come to know as their own in the ensuing three years.

The intensity with which the story was covered on Wednesday reflected the emotional baggage the entire country carries with it having lived with the burden of one of its soldiers held prisoner. In times like this, it’s almost safe to say that the cliche that we’re all one country is really true.

Let’s hope the release of the Gilad Schalit video is beginning of movement that will quickly see the release of Gilad Schalit, the human being.

Tags: , , , , • Category: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, War 

Comments

4 Comments on A video of Gilad

  1. David-Joe on Sun, Oct 4th 2009 12:48 AM

    2. That Israel gives up prisoners sends a powerful meassage to its enemies.

    That the nation has become weak. Does anyone in a logical mind think for one minute that there will be a realease? Have they not learnt the lessons that the Arabs teach over and over again?

    Hamas are Islamists, Shalit is a pawn in the fight against the Jew who is the worst infidel, worse than a disbeliever.

    Does anyone even think that peace is possible by showing a humane action for the sake of one’s own soldiers to those that send their own children happily as suicidal killers?

    And if these prisoners are allowed to leave – exactly what the hell were they arrested for inthe first instance – if the are so harmless and innocent?

    Justice denied.

    Shalit is a soldier in the Israeli Defence Force and it is time for Israel to act that way.

    What will the next demand be?

    Israeli carries emotional baggage over this? Well its time for the nation to pull itself together and snap out of such a pathetic funk.

    A dose of some British fortitude is needed not an emotion that belongs on the east side of New York City amongst the LIberal elite punks.

  2. Nicky on Sun, Oct 4th 2009 9:05 AM

    3. It’s true, we shouldn’t be handing over 20 prisoners for one video tape.

    On the other hand, there aren’t many Israelis out there who don’t see their own son/brother/husband when they look at those images of Shalit.

    This is a people’s army. No-one can forget that.

  3. Carl Muller on Wed, Oct 7th 2009 10:21 PM

    4. It is the answer to many prayers. Imagine it is your brother, you will move mountains to get him released.
    May almighty G-d, in his grace, bring him home soon.

  4. A video of Gilad | JewPI on Tue, Oct 27th 2009 1:12 AM

    5. [...] Schalit has been dominating the news today. According to the Egyptian and German teams that helped Read More » Share and Enjoy:Tags: Hamas, IDF, minute video tape, news today, soldier Categories: Blogs, [...]

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