The Palestinians consider Shalit to be a prisoner of war..and I think they are right to do so.

He could have been released ages ago but Israel would not release its prisoners in exchange.

By my rough and ready reckoning there are thousands of palestinians languishing in Israeli jails.They are being held illegally by an occupying power which refuses to obey UN resolutions to leave the occupied territories.

Israel has also held women and children in its prisons and the jail ,I think called Kiam, controlled by its proxies under Israeli supervision in south Lebanon was a by word for cruelty and torture.

Human Rights groups have had plenty to say about Israeli torture,mistreatment or neglect of Palestinians prisoners.
I am not even sure if the Red Cross has access to Israeli prisons.

It must be hell for Shalit in his jail and I want to see him released. I also want those nameless Palestinians held in Israeli jails to walk free at the same time.

The problem is the state of Israel has become a killing machine and is in the contol of extremists who believe they can bludgeon the palestinians into abject surrender....the release of a single Israeli prisoner is not a priority for Livni and those other blood soaked murderers.
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