1 to 1,000

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I'd spent last evening watching the news about the imminent release of Gilad Shalit. 1 Israeli soldier was held in captivity for 5 years by Hamas without allowing the family to have any contact with him. In exchange for his freedom, a total of 1,000 Palestinian inmates (including women) will be soon free and probably back in the business of terror, the biggest prisoner exchange since 1956.

Watching the faces of Gilad's parents and knowing their fight to bring their son back I couldn't stop thinking it is a good news and thanks G-d (important rabbinical figures were involved in the negotiations as well) we hope to see him back home safe and alive. Beyond the human success it is an important political momentum as well.

On other news channels I was also watching the "victory" proclaimed by Hamas following this deal and the warnings that I am sure we should take it seriously: the door for the precedent is open and the Israeli soldiers are in danger more than ever. Anyway, it is what the Hamas terrorists wanted to do when they attacked in Eilat. There will be more high alerts and more specific trainings for the military.

I still hope - although given the lack of reliability of the Hamas representatives, isn't easy to be optimistic - that Gilad will be soon with his family. After observing the last 5 years world reaction to the situation of the young Israeli soldier, I continue to be worried for what it and who will be next. Instead of solidarity and unanimous condamnation of the Hamas terrorists most part of the international organizations and actors refused a consistent support. And, at least, if we are alone, we should realize that we should be united, more united than ever.

The joyous festival of Sukkot is about to start and we should enjoy doing our mitzvot. Time for reflection and more hopes.

Related articles

• Israel and Hamas agree deal to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (telegraph.co.uk)
• Mid-East prisoner swap welcomed (bbc.co.uk)

Obama just checked at the UN

Without too much enthusiasm I watched Obama's discourse at the UN General Assembly. More interesting than to follow his sayings - and his successful for the masses body language - was to take the full advantage of the views from the meeting room: the self-sufficient skeptical faces of some delegations from the Middle East, the self-sufficient - and nothing else - gestures of the Palestinians and the tensed face of Mr. Avigdor Lieberman while listening to the translated discourse.

What was the essence of his sayings, after all? Some common truths that any bat-mitzvah-ed kid will tell it more artfully: the high security risks faced by the state of Israel because of the Palestinian terrorists, the religion of hate they imbue their children from an early age, the daily rocket rain from Hamas and their acolytes, the obvious right to exist of the state of Israel. That peace should be achieved through negotiations and dialogue between the two parts not by unilateral anarchic declarations.

Better late than never! Again, it is no secret message or fantastic change of position from the part of the White House but rather a return to common sense. Reading the daily media, the main line in most part of the American and international media in general was the pressure of the Jewish vote, following the old conspirationist patterns. I don't care about any elections or politicians, but for my friends facing daily rockets in many localities in Israel, I care about my children to be able to freely travel by bus without being scarred all the time, and about my husband too because I want to stop being worried when he's driving around the country. There are many common things that in the West people accept to ignore, but because of the blindness, indoctrination and hate against Israel and the Jews they continue to widespread lies and to support terrorism. But I am sure people could change, be better persons and read more! We'll see what the UN will bring in the following hours and days.

Counting the rockets

Over hundred rockets were hit into Southern Israel from Gaza in the last three days. A man was killed, many injured. They are hitting schools, synagogues, public spaces. The rockets are continue to fall. I rhetorically wonder ever and ever again: how will US or France or Germany react when faced with this daily reality - because we don't have to forget Sderot where rockets are part of the "normality"? Would they apologize and be sorry for defending their citizens?

Egypt is pressing Israel to apologize and apologize and investigate the death of five security personnel. The fact that Egypt wasn't able to defend its borders and to prevent the infiltration of terrorist isn't a reality deem of the high attention of the media and its analysts of all colors. Another strange thing happened at the UN, where the Security Council failed to condemn the attack from Eilat because the proud member Lebanon who's almost a feud of the Iran-sponsored Hizbollah opposed.

There are many questions to be asked, of course. One regards the famous almost invisible Hasbara. But I'm afraid that now it's too late. You can't build in times of crisis but to use the symbolic resources built in between crisis. It was a well-known reality that close to September and there after we should expect various difficult situations and attacks of all sorts. It wasn't any surprise at all. A surprise would be a unite and coherent answer from the mishpacha. Now, I couldn't care less who did you vote with at the last elections, where are you coming from, how many books did you read or if you are secular or religious. It's more important to act together and nothing else.

The good news from the South is that the Eilat Red Sea International Jazz Festival will be held as scheduled, although some artists cancelled their presence. Somehow, we can dream about a certain normality.

In the North, business as usual, for the moment. People are going out, enjoying the life and falling in love.