Israel – Former IDF chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi said on Wednesday that the military is not capable of bringing about the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.
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“I failed. It must be admitted that we can not use military force to release Schalit, Ashkenazi said during a speech at the business forum at Bar Ilan University where he was awarded an honorary doctorate.
“It is my dream to see a helicopter landing at the Erez crossing with Gilad Schalit, and I phone his parents to inform them that we have released him,” admitted Ashkenazi.
“Hamas is hiding him in a way that makes it almost impossible for us to find him. We do not know where he is,” Ashkenazi added.
“If we don’t find a military option to bring about his release then we have to admit that we have to pay a reasonable price for the release,” Ashkenazi continued.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gilad Schalit’s grandfather, Zvi Schalit, said that he was not disappointed that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu failed to mention Gilad’s case in his speech to congress on Tuesday.
It would be insanity to risk more lives or exchange convicted terrorists in an effort to rescue one soldier. Yes, his family is suffering but the needs of all israelis must take priority over one soldier who knew the risks of war. I’m sure we will hear the usual postings from the usual parties “what if it was your son/daughter”. Well, the simple answer is no, I would not want to risk many more deaths in an effort to save just one.
Save one Jew and you save the world.
It’s not such a simple answer, because the Israeli army is not a volunteer army. So it’s 1000% the State’s responsibility as they are FORCING their citizens to join.
Forget releasing dangerous prisoners. After 24 hours notice to produce Schalit alive and unharmed, turn off all electric and water being supplied to Gaza until he IS produced. Let them sweat in the heat like Schalit presumably sweats and, as Arafat, yemach shemo, used to say, “let them drink Gaza seawater”.
To #1 - You are a cold hearted individual, without an iota of compassion for the suffering of Gilad Shalit. As far as Shalit “knowing the risks of war”, he was conscripted into the Israeli Army. However, the Israeli Army always vowed never to leave any soldier behind on the battlefield. However, your philosophy is to leave them there, and for them to accept their fate. If America had the same philopsophy which you did, we would never have rescued over 500 American prisoners of war, at the Japanese prison camp of Cabanatuan, in the Phillipines, in March, 1945.
where ever it is that Schalit is being held- i know for a fact ,that he is wired and/or the place is booby-trapped . the second these savages feel a rescue mission is underway they detonate and u can visualize the rest .The israelis know more /less where he is but schalit’s parents and the government can’t take the risk.
we can now just begin to understand the risk in going in and terminating the arch-terrorist and murderer OBL -may his name be erased ! say Tehilim in the meanwhile.or kidnap the hamas leadership and propose an exchange and i’m not sure that they would trade even under those circumstances. Hashem yerachem !!