I am glad Gilad Shalit has been released. I am also glad that Israel is releasing 1,027 Palestinian political prisoners including 27 women.
Not withstanding the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war, and similar Islamic teaching, I wish Hamas had released Shalit unconditionally when first captured to provoke Israel into doing the same.
"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you." (Proverbs 25:21-22)
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:44-45)It is sad that all the media attention is focussed upon one person and not the 7,400 Palestinians which the Guardian says are currently being held in Israeli jails, nearly 400 of them without charge.
I once met a spokesman for Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon who asked me "what would you advise Hezbollah?". I said "Release the Israeli captives. Show them compassion and mercy. Show them you are magnanimous."
What this conflict needs is radical and unconditional acts of compassion and mercy, not bartering as if human beings were like animals to be traded.
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:14, 17, 21)
