Gilad is Coming Back Home

Day 272 –Tomorrow is a very special day – after more than 5 ½ years as a POW the soldier Gilad Shalit is coming back home tomorrow as a result of a very costly exchange agreement. Many terrorists are going to walk free tomorrow in exchange for Gilad’s freedom.  Like most people in my country I am so happy that his ordeal is finally over. I am very sad that so many murderers are getting their freedom when they sure didn’t deserve it. Each and every one of them has innocent blood on his/her hands. I can only pray that at least some of them will change their horrific ways and will not return to murder more innocent people. Gilad was a soldier in the IDF when he was kidnapped from his post 1941 days ago. He did not go beyond enemy lines, he did not kill anyone; he was kidnapped while on patrol on the border. And yet, against all international war laws, for 1941 days our government could not find a partner to negotiate with in order to get him released. Do you event get what 1941 days mean? Think of what you did 5 years ago, 4 years ago, 3, 2, 1… can you imagine losing our freedom even for one week? I sure can’t. I am sure for Gilad it was an eternity, especially since he couldn’t know what tomorrow holds for him, if he will ever get his freedom back and I am sure that he did not get a VIP treatment by the Hamas. We all here pray for his health and for his mental health. No one really knows what to expect. But at least he is starting his way back to life tomorrow after they were put on hold 1941 days go. I read it somewhere and it is so true, he was the son of his parents but during this long fight to bring him back home he became the son of all of us, the son of the nation. And as such he will be welcomed here tomorrow.

I am so very thankful that Gilad Shalit is coming home tomorrow. I am thankful this day is finally here. For the past week, since it was published, the whole country is holding its collective breath in anticipation. It is a very special occasion and I am so thankful to be here and be part of that excitement where a whole country is welcoming back one of its sons. To honor his return, I decided to extend my blog to 1941 days, so to get the feeling of how long that period was.