One Life

"Olmert Rejects Hamas Demands for Soldier"; By Isabel Kershner; A10

Although the continued captivity of Gilad Shalit is sad, it exposes a beautiful facet about Israeli society.  The Israeli Defense Forces is a people's army, made up of the sons and daughters of the majority of families in Israel. As a result, the pain of one family is felt by all. 

The Israelis offered to release 320 prisoners for one soldier, demonstrating the value Israel places on one person and the cheapness with which human beings.

Imagine, the families of those 320 men appealing publicly to Hamas leaders for their release. It is a fantasy.  

Both her sympathies and sense of reason come through in Isabel Kershner's upsetting, but well done, report on Hamas' rejection of an exchange.