A Lopsided Deal For Peace?

“I hope this deal will promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” said Gilad Shalit, the man of the day today. After being held five years in Palestinian custody, the Israeli soldier was returned to Israel in an exchange for over 1000 Palestinian soldiers in Israeli custody. Referred to as the “most lopsided prisoner swap in Israeli history”, 497 Palestinian prisoners were released today, and another 550 are expected to be released in two months. Shalit was captured in a June 2006 raid where Palestinian soldiers tunneled beneath the Israeli border.

Wild celebrations met the Palestinian homecoming soldiers, many of whom had been sentenced to death. The feeling of the day is one of jubilant nationalism and relief, as well as a continued encouragement to resist occupation. Controversy abounded when the deal was in preliminary talks, and families of Palestinian terrorist victims rallied outside the Israeli High Court in an attempt to block the deal on Monday. Israelis overwhelmingly supported the 1,000-1 swap for Shalit, though, with an estimated support of 4 out of 5 Israelis.

The prisoner deal was conducted through Egyptian negotiators due to a refusal of direct communication by both Hamas and the Israeli government; the swap itself and the various steps composing it was aided by Egyptian officials and the Red Cross. Although talks have been conducted between the two governments through both Egyptian and German negotiators, it is the effort and desire of both sides to create friendly ties with the new Egyptian government that helped solidify the deal.

While it is understandable that there is significant coverage of Shalit, considering his prominent position in the deal and his hero-figure status in Israel, it is surprising that the release of one particular man is so widely covered by the media as opposed to the after-thought of the release of over four hundred Palestinians on Israeli death row, and the promise for the eventual release of twice that.

- Liana