"How Great it is that you have come Home"

Egyptian Interviewer: "Gilad, what can you say about the 

4,000 Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prisons?" 

Gilad: "I hope they will be released as long as they don't go back to terror. I hope this deal will promote peace"

After more than 5 years in Hamas captivity, Gilad Shalit is back home in Israel.

For the past 5 years, Israel and the Jewish world have been pleading, protesting, and praying for his release. At almost every prayer service that I've attended in Israel, there has been an added prayer for the well-being and speedy release of Gilad. His family has been living in a protest tent outside the prime minister's home for over a year. There have been banners, bumper stickers, marches, and rallies around the world to release him.

Because military service in Israel is mandatory, his captivity really hit home for Israelis. Gilad became everyone's son, everyone's brother, everyone's loved one.

Today, finally, he is free.

But unfortunately, it comes at a very heavy price. Over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are being set free in exchange for Gilad. That's 1,000 for ONE. All of these prisoners were directly involved in terrorist attacks in Israel. My heart breaks when I think about the families of these victims, and the emotions they must be feeling right now. My mind races when I think about what this means for the future of Israel.

And just as Gilad is being welcomed back to Israel with open arms and tears of joy, so too, are these prisoners, as they return to Gaza and the West Bank as heroes.

Israel's leadership is consistently placed in unfair and impossible predicaments. Do you keep the promise of "bringing home any soldier, at any cost?" Do you save the life of one innocent man if it comes at the price of possible future violence? What is the value of ONE human life?

These are extremely difficult questions, and I certainly don't have any answers. While Israelis are rejoicing at the return of Gilad Shalit, they are also expressing feelings of sorrow for the bereaved families, and anxiety about the future.

One of my classmates very eloquently wrote:

"Whatever your view on the circumstances of his return, I have been proud these past few days to be surrounded by strong moral voices who have pushed me to think about how we value life, and about how we...demonstrate that value."

Today, Israel demonstrates that it values life. Welcome home, Gilad.

Some notable articles:

• Netanyahu's Remarks Following the Release of Gilad Shalit
• "Bravo for these people, these Israelis"
• "Everyone's Son"
• "Netanyahu reaches out to families of terror victims"