'It's been a long five years'

By Joseph Millis - Tuesday 11th October 2011


Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has arrived in Israel after his release from five years captivity, as part of a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Tuesday night ahead of an emergency government meeting, confirming that the missing soldier would be home "in days".

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The government passed the deal, by 26 votes to three, with only Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman and Uzi Landau and the Likid's Moshe Ya'alon voting against.

Netanyahu told the cabinet: "Our sages teach that those who save one Jewish life, it's is as if they have saved an entire world. Today I am bringing a proposal for the saving of Gilad Schalit in order to bring him back, finally, after five years, to his home, to Israel."

A serving soldier at the time, Shalit was captured on the Israel-Gaza border by Hamas gunmen who broke into the outpost in which he was on duty.

He had been in captivity for more than 1,930 days and the Israeli government has agreed to release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad's freedom. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said the exchange would happen in two stages, with 450 prisoners including hundreds serving life sentences beng released in the first instance. Only two months later would the other 550 go free.

In August, Gilad's family - who have led a huge public protest calling for his freedom - marked his 25th birthday, his sixth away from home. Last year, they erected a permanent protest tent close to Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem in order to press for action to free the soldier.

Among the hundreds descending on the tent last night was former Bnei Akiva UK head Jonny Lipczer, who said: "There is a real sense of hope and unity here. On previous visits to the tent there has been a sombre atmosphere but tonight that has been replaced by pure celebration."

Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the agreement. "Holding him in captivity has been utterly unjustified from the beginning and yet it has gone on for five long years," said Hague.

"We have always called for his unconditional release. We are pleased that this long overdue development is finally taking place.

"Shalit's long captivity has been painful for his family and I hope that he will be reunited with them as soon as possible."

As excitement at the breaking news spread accross social networking sites, a message on the Facebook page of UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said he had spoken to Gilad's father Noam to convey that David Cameron and the British people were praying for the family and "earnestly anticipating" the young Isreli's return.

The Board of Deputies welcomed the news of a deal. It said in a statement: "It is fitting that on the eve of Sukkot, the Jewish festival of rejoicing, we celebrate news of Gilad Shalit's imminent release. The Board of Deputies is overjoyed for the Shalit family and cautiously optimistic that, unlike on previous occasions, their dreams will come to fruition.

"Difficult, courageous choices have been made and we acknowledge and understand that for many this will be painful. The Board of Deputies has consistently called for the unconditional release of Gilad Shalit but by the decision she has taken, Israel has demonstrated the supreme value she places on human life. The Board of Deputies prays for Gilad's safe and speedy return to Israel and hopes that his release will be a precursor to resumed peace talks."

The Zionist Federation welcomed the news that a deal for the release of Israeli Gilad Shalit had been agreed between Israel and Hamas.

In a statement, the ZF said: "Israel values all life as precious and has shown this with the news that its has agreed to the release of a thousand convicted Palestinians for the safe return of Gilad Shalit.

"Gilad's captivity has been in the hearts and minds of every Israeli citizen and we join them in calling for his swift release and return to freedom. We also hold this as a further symbol of Israel's willingness to make painful concessions in order to achieve its dream of peace."

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