Speaking with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Monday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gabi Ashkenazi explained that in order to bring Gilad Shalit home, Israel must release terrorists. He went on to state that it is not a matter of if Israel should release terrorists, but the identity of the terrorists to be released.

He stated the matter being contemplated is how many, and what type of terrorists should be included in a prisoner release agreement.

Regarding the Goldstone Commission report, the investigators who received a mandate from the UN Human Rights Organization, the military commander the IDF is a moral army, stressing everything possible to prevent injury to innocent people was done.

The commission’s findings recommend war crime charges be filed against Israel pertaining to the IDF’s Cast Lead counter-terrorism offensive in Gaza last year.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)