[I wrote too quickly when I found out Shalit was freed. I was simply thrilled he was after so many years in captivity. I realize how lopsided the trade was and in NO way want to bless anyone who would want the demise of the Israeli state so I amend my sentiment]


Can Jeff Jacoby support anything that is good and has the word peace attached to it? The release of the Israeli Soldier Gilad Shalit is a GOOD day.This is a GOOD day but Jacoby will say Israel gave up too much. I say RUBBISH! Israel has been giving up too much after sixty unrelenting years of constant violence and threat of violence with no peace in sight. Israel has had to turn inside out to guard its security.

Let's not make this day into anything but a GOOD day when an Israeli soldier five years in captivity is finally free. How I YEARN for and want so much for there to be peace and in some way for both sides to agree. I am a Jew and Israel is my ardent love BUT I want the killing to stop!

We have ONE small little life that fades in an INSTANT. Where is the genius that man can show and just give a little bit, bend a little and accept one human being for another? The tree boughs are many and the limbs can withstand much and still not break. The larger tree withstands even more so that the tree lives. Let us be like that. I wish and yes pray for that each see the other as human beings worthy to live another day!

It was a lopsided trade, indeed, as Israelis got one prisoner for hundreds of Palestinians. STILL I am tired of the endless going nowhere arguments on both sides and I am simply jubilant to see Gilad Shalit freed after such a LONG time in captivity. We have much to learn from each other. We could give so much one to the other. We need to TRY just TRY.

Shalom and thank you to all who made this GOOD day possible!