I admit I feel for Gilad Shalit's plight and more so for his family's suffering. He has had a long time to regret the fact that he is a soldier of the IDF in Israel that do nothing to assist their soldiers who are captured and become prisoners of war.

The terms have not changed in five years and to correct you it is for the release of 1,000 Palestinians. The terms didn't change even after the Gaza war when your will remember Israel's obscene invasion by land sea and air in 2008 1,400 predominately Palestinian citizens were killed. Whole towns and villages and the country’s infrastructure of roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, electricity, sewerage and drinking water were razed to the ground and destroyed. After Israel's blood fest it left Gaza but tightened the siege where absolutely nothing and no one can get in or out.

Israel is also well known for the nocturnal kicking down of Palestinian’s doors and taking all men from age 14 to age 60. They are not charged with any crime and are taken to jail without representation and can be held indefinitely without charge. Their crime is never stipulated as there isn’t one. Israel has a policy to periodically round up innocent Palestinians for this very purpose to trade then in case one of their soldiers is captured.

Finally Gilad Shalit is a professional soldier and as such is trained for such circumstances the Palestinian civilian is not

Do we hear the same kind of pleading for the release of the many Palastinians who have been detained without just cause or trial by the murderous Isreli government?, I think nought! Those who are pleading for this soldier who was patroling stolen land should get a grip on reality and put things in a realistic perspectrive.

Shalit's fate is entirely in the hands of Tel Aviv.
Besides, Shalit is French.
What was he doing bearing arms for a pariah state?

That the author can talk about human rights after the killing of 1400 Palestinians in Gaza, including 400 children,and the daily humiliation and harassment of Palestinians on their own land demonstrates the breathtaking myopia of Zionists.

Thank you Sam Tatarka for bringing Gilad Shalit's captivity to attention. Hamas' conduct is deplorable; the world has witnessed their cycnical use of their own people as human shields and the indoctrination of their children to violence and hatred. I will be thinking of Gilad today and many people around the world will be hoping and praying that he will be free, home in Israel soon.

Thank you Sam for a enlightening article about the illegal kidnapping of Gilad Shalit by the internationally recognized Islamist terror Organization who lead the Palestinians.

It's a pity this group of fanatics have ignored all the norms of warfare and Geneva convention but thats what we expect from these type of people , even the Palestinian Christians live in fear.

Hopefully Gilad is still alive and will one day see his family, meantime Israel should continue to have a vibrant economy and lead the world in Medicine, Hitec, Science and Education whilst the Palestinian keep fighting amongst them, selves.

Hope to see another article from You.

Micahel B