Masorti Australasia
The Morality of Redeeming Captives: Gilad Shalit and the Talmud - The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/rabbi-bradley-shavit-artson/talmud-and-gilad-shalit-redeeming-captives_b_1027552.html
On Oct. 11, Israel’s government made international headlines when it agreed to release more than 1,000 violent prisoners to obtain the release of Sergeant Gilad Shalit, who had been kidnapped and held hostage by Hamas for more than 5 years (without any of the rights granted under the Geneva Convention for a captured soldier). His release was a cause for relief and joy throughout Israel, Jewish communities around the world, and for those moved by the humanitarian concerns of his family and friends.
But simple joy at a young soldier’s release is not the only emotion friends of democracy in the Middle East feel today. Along with pent-up relief comes a sense of foreboding — that such a disproportionate exchange may be seen as a reward to Hamas violence, encouraging the terrorists within Hamas to yet another spasm of kidnapping and murder. Indeed, the Hamas leadership wasted no time in noting that the exchange was a victory for violent obstruction, the head of the military wing of Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, promised more kidnappings, and crowds in Gaza chanted, “The people want a new Gilad!” encouraging Hamas to seize more Israeli soldiers.
