Referring to the Shamgar Commission investigating prisoner release deals, Chief of IDF Personnel Branch Major-General Avi Zamir stated that whatever the commission recommends, he does not feel it will be possible to formulate a general set of regulations to govern a prisoner release, explaining each case must be judged on its own merit and each case it unique, posing its own set of difficulties and challenges.

It was Zamir who presented Noam and Aviva Shalit with the video, permitting a first glimpse at their son since he was taken captive in June 2006.

When asked if he believes that the proposed deal for Gilad’s release is not perhaps a bit “out of proportion”, Zamir stated these are the values on which we were raised and it is important to realize that soldiers are monitoring this and aware that bringing them home is of the utmost importance, and this is also significant for the future. “I am happy it is like this because soldiers know they are not forgotten. I have no doubt that as a result, soldiers will do their most to fulfill their mission, aware the state and the IDF will do their utmost to protect them. These are our values and it is good that this is so”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)