Still refusing to answer fairly simple questions Guest ifor, can't imagine why you find it so difficult when you post with so much indignation and feeling. You prattle on about "JUSTICE" yet deny that for there to be justice there must first be truth, truth that you, Guest lox, John Pilger and a whole rake of terrorist apologisers here on this site simply deny.

Let's look at your latest "smoke-screen":
Point 1. - "Cp Gilad Shalit is a member of the Israeli Defence Force which has been waging economic and military war against Gaza for quite some time."

The IDF or any other countries armed forces or indeed "Defence Forces" are not capable of waging economic warfare, they neither have the international, nor financial clout to do so. If memory serves me correctly a country's armed forces have to go cap in hand each year to their respective Governments to get the budget that pays them for the coming year.

Back to the truth about Cpl Gilad Shalit - he was a 19 year old soldier quietly minding his own business inside the recognised borders of his own native country, Israel, when a gang of terrorists from Gaza tunnelled into Israel and kidnapped him. At the time he was kidnapped he was not occupying any land or acting in a manner that could in any way be described as aggressive.

IDF troops and their commanders use military force in response to attacks on Israel, or to counter the threat of attacks on Israel.

Point 2. - "It seems to me that the IDF uses its weapons to kill or maim during the course of quite minor disturbances...say while confronting stone throwing Palestinian children and teenagers."

And what is it that you would suggest they do, wait until one of their number are killed before responding in kind?? Are you really that naive?? Where were you brought up - Trumpton?? Camberwick Green??

Point 3. - "The IDF has surrounded and enforced a blockade on Gaza for about two years."

Correct me if I am wrong here Guest ifor but Gaza has three land borders, one border with Israel running NW to SE at the northern end of the Gaza strip, one border with Israel running NE to SW on the eastern side of the Gaza strip and a third border with Egypt also running NW to SE at the southern end of the Gaza strip. Now I can see how the Israelis could control their side of any border crossings on two sides of Gaza, but can you please explain to us all how the Israelis control the border between Gaza and Egypt??

Point 4. - "It also meant that humanitarian and medical aid was severely curtailed."

So humanitarian and medical aid has been severely curtailed has it Guest ifor, but not supplies of Iranian Grad Rockets. Now tell me how it is possible for Hamas to smuggle in weapons, explosives and rockets, yet it seems that they are incapable of smuggling in humanitarian and medical aid, did it just slip their minds Guest ifor, after all as the "elected representatives" of the population of Gaza one would think that at some stage or other they would look to the well-being of their population and place their own and Iran's political agenda on the back-burner.

Point 6. - "The Israelis broke the ceasefire whenever they saw fit."

I am afraid that the records show that the Israelis only ever broke the cease-fire when provoked

Point 7. - "I hope Cp Shalit gets out alive soon. But I also want to see those Palestinians prisoners released at the same time."

Lets face it Guest ifor, that would be a pretty long-odds bet. My guess is that like the two IDF soldiers kidnapped in Northern Israel by Hezbollah during their raid into Israeli territory in 2006. Cpl Gilad Shalit was probably killed shortly after capture. Videos and letters are not conclusive proof of life.

But one thing that our chat about Corporal Shalit has caused me to think about.

You believe that the taking and treatment of Cpl Gilad Shalit at the hands of Hamas is legal, justifiable and completely above board. It would appear that you condone such actions and have no problem with accepting it as a legitimate Palestinian tactic in their struggle for freedom.

So I take it that were Israel to do the same you in turn would have no problem with that. I mean how could you? What is a legitimate tactic for one must surely be a legitimate tactic for the other side.

Working on that logic the Israelis could say to Hamas, "Hand over Corporal Gilad Shalit live by 18:00hrs tomorrow or we will execute every Hamas prisoner we have in custody by mid-night tomorrow." Well that would be a damn sight safer than risking IDF troops inside Gaza wouldn't it. Or how about this Guest ifor, the Israeli's just tell Hamas that for every mortar or rocket fired 'X' number of Hamas prisoners are executed starting with the most senior first. At least then innocent "palestinian" civilians would not be at risk.