"If Jews in France were required to carry identification cards designating them Jews (even though French citizens), could not acquire land or buy or rent homes in most of the country, were not eligible for service in the armed forces, and French law banned any political party or legislation calling for equal rights for Jews, would France be widely praised in the United States as a "symbol of human decency" (New York Times) and paragon of democracy? Would there be a huge protest if France, in consequence of such laws and practices, was declared by a UN majority to be a racist state?" - Edward S. Herman, 1994
President Abbas speaks to freed prisoners at the Muqata'a (Mufid Abu Hasna, Wafa Images).
List of Shalit Deal Prisoners Released
► http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/10/15/prisoner.release.pdf
► http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/17/world/meast/israel-prisoner-swap-explainer/index.html
Why Israelis believe one soldier is worth 1,000 Palestinian prisoners - CNN.com
www.cnn.com
Israel plans to free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. How and why has the controversial deal come about?
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15361312
Mid-East joy at prisoner exchange www.bbc.co.uk
Jubilant crowds gather in Israel and the Palestinian territories to celebrate Gilad Shalit's historic swap for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
► http://www.kawther.info/K20040616A.html
..: The Israeli Military in Hebron - Some Videoclips :..
www.kawther.info
► http://www.kawther.info/wpr/2010/04/19/israeli-soldier-burns-palestinian-teacher-with-cigarette
Israeli Soldier Burns Palestinian Teacher With Cigarette « Kawther Salam
www.kawther.info
Personal Diary/Blog and Documentation of War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity commited by Israel against Palestinians.
Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit is escorted by members of Hamas and Egyptian mediators on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/Middle East News Agency (MENA)/Khalid Farid/Handout.
Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit is escorted by members of Hamas and Egyptian mediators on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/Hand Out/HAMAS
Gilad Shalit speaks to his family on the telephone in this handout released by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/IDF/Handout.
Gilad Shalit, center, salutes in front of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, upon his arrival at Tel Nof air base in central Israel in this handout released by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) on Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/GPO/Handout.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, greets Gilad Shalit at Tel Nof air base in central Israel in this handout picture released by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/GPO/Handout
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, stands beside Gilad Shalit as he is hugged by armed forces chief Major-General Benny Gantz at Tel Nof air base in central Israel on Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/PMO/Handout.
Israeli activists remove a sign counting the number of days since the abduction of Gilad Shalit, at a former protest tent calling for his release, near the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Oct. 18. Photo by REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun.
One of the freed prisoners holds up a baby with a Hamas headband.
A boy wears a Hamas headband at the rally. Hamas engineered the prisoner swap and most of the freed prisoners are affiliated with the Islamist party.
A Hamas ex-prisoner speaks to the crowd in Hebron.
Freed prisoners hold up the flags of the principal Palestinian political parties: Fatah (yellow), Hamas (green), and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP, red).
Two women lead the crowd in song at the Hebron rally. Four of the 30 Hebron-area prisoners were women, all serving terms under 20 years.
A freed Hamas prisoner sits on another man's shoulders and waves. A further 44 prisoners from Hebron were taken to the Gaza Strip or exiled abroad.
Demonstrators fly Hamas flags at the Hebron rally. Analysts predict Hamas' popularity will surge in the aftermath of the deal, putting President Abbas' statehood bid at risk.
A man sets off fireworks at the rally.
Photos : Lo Yuk Fai, PNN
A total of 1027 Palestinians languishing in Israeli prisons in the country would be freed by the Jews after Hamas agreed to release Gilad Shalit, Israeli soldiers captured in 2006. The soldier's rank of corporal last appeared in public in 2009 after Hamas released a video show featuring his health condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said both parties have signed the agreement. According to him, Shalit would be back together with his family in the coming days.
"I believe we have achieved the best deal today. I do not know if there is a better deal than this, or even that can be achieved later," said Netanyahu in Jerusalem (October 12, 2011).
The exchange decision has also been approved by the Israeli cabinet. In a vote held on October 12, the majority of cabinet members approved the agreement with the ratio of 26 supporting votes and 3 refused.
In Gaza, Hamas leaders have said they only solved the technical problem to exchange. "We are in the process of technical solutions to complete this deal," said Abu Ubeida, a spokesman for Hamas' armed right wing.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said Israel would release 1027 prisoners in two stages. In the first week, 450 prisoners would be freed in exchange for Shalit and the rest would be freed two months later. There were 27 women among the prisoners released.
"We are delighted with this achievement. But we are also sad because we can't release all the prisoners," Meshaal said in a speech from Damascus, Syria.
Although Israel and the Palestinians have been several times to exchange prisoners, but the negotiation of Shalit's release was very tough. The reason is, Israel refused to release prisoners involved in deadly attacks to this Star of David's country.
Total Palestinians who have been languishing in Israeli prisons to 6,000 people, but the number of Palestinians detained by Israel for deadly attacks was unknown.
Decision exchange mediated by Egypt and Germany was greeted joyfully by the people of Gaza. One of them was Marwan Barghouti's wife, named Fadwa Barghouti. Marwan is a charismatic activist touted as future leaders of Palestine. Fadwa told Reuters that she fully expected her husband's name would be listed into the list of prisoners exchanged. But it seemed difficult to realize her expectation. Yoran Cohen as leader of Israel's domestic security service said, those who have been convicted for killing Israeli tourism minister in 2001 were not included in the prisoners exchanged.
From a number of prominent names of Palestinian prisoners would be freed, there was Yehia Sanwar, a founder of Hamas who was sentenced to life imprisonment. Another prominent prisoner was Mohammed Al-Sharatha who headed the Hamas's elite forces unit 101. Sharatha arrested by Israeli soldiers in 1989.
The exchange was conducted with Egyptian mediation. Hamas said it would hand over Schalit to Egypt before Egypt would submit him to Israel. Hamas would process the release of Schalit while the buses carrying the Palestinian prisoners arrived in the Sinai Desert's area, Egypt.
Representatives of Hamas would check the suitability of prisoners in exchange's identity, then they would be taken by Palestinian bus to return to their homes.
To avoid hasty movement from Israel, Hamas didn't publish the location where Schalit was arrested. Hamas also kept when he would be brought to Egypt. They worried that Israel would attack and cancel the prisoner exchange agreement has been agreed.
Meanwhile, the Israel citizens whose family became the victims of Palestinian attacks urged the cancellation or postponement of the exchange. They asked to be given the opportunity to submit objections within 48 hours through the courts. Some families have made their objection letter to the Israeli high court.
One of them was Ron Kehrmann who lost his daughter due to Palestinian suicide bomb attack in 2003. "It is impossible to release three militants involved in the attack, many citizens of Israel had been killed," said Kehrmann.
There were those who argued that Israel's move would trigger more of its citizens hostage as negotiations, but there were also Israelis who supported the exchange. One of the supports was Yosefa Goldstein who lost their daughter due to a bomb in 2002. He supported the exchange because Schalit would return to his family.
From 477 the number of prisoners released in the first phase, more than 200 people from the West Bank, while 40 other detainees would be deported to Syria, Qatar, Turkey and Yordanis. 550 other prisoners would be released within the next two months.
Before dawn, a convoy of white vans and trucks carrying 477 Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. There was Nael Barghouthi among them, he who was arrested in April 1978 and found to be involved in an Israeli soldier's death. His name is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest political prisoner undergoing detention in the world.
On the other hand, the arrival of Schalit was greeted with fanfare by Israel people. He was handed over by a number of Egyptian officials to the Israelis. To one of the Egyptian television, Schalit said he was very excited to go home. "I miss my family. I hope this will encourage the peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians."
According to some analysts, the agreement reached by Hamas and the Israel government was the middle way. For Hamas, despite losing Schalit (he was a "trump card") but the deal was obviously very beneficial, because their human resources have now been returned. The second advantage, Hamas could win the sympathy of Palestinian which prior to this exchange they sided with the struggle of President Mahmoud Abbas from Fatah faction in the United Nations.
Finally, the agreement made Israel look weak. Hamas could target other Israeli soldiers to force the Jewish State to free a number of other important figures, such as Marwan Barghouti who was arrested by Israel in 2004.
*****
•1983:
Israeli Arab prisoners freed 4600 as a means of exchange for those six soldiers captive in Lebanon.
•May 1985: Israel to free Arab prisoners in 1150 in exchange for three Israeli soldiers held by Palestinian forces.
•January 2004: Israel frees 436 Palestinians and other Arab prisoners in a deal with Hezbollah. In exchange, Israel obtained Elhanan Tannenbaum, a wealthy Jewish businessman.
•October 2011: Israel agreed with Hamas to free 1027 prisoners
in exchange for Gilad Schalit, an Israeli tank crew forces detained since 2006. The first stage, 477 prisoners would be released along with Schalit and 550 other prisoners would be released in the second stage.
"No people anywhere in the world would accept being expelled en masse from their own country; how can anyone require the people of Palestine to accept a punishment which nobody else would tolerate?" - -Bertrand Russell, 1970
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