The Jerusalem Post comes out with an editorial Monday warning that while captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit’s parents may be justified in doing all they can to secure their son’s release, the Israeli people and government should focus on the collective good – even if it comes at Gilad’s expense.
If domestic pressure forces the government to make dangerous concessions, there are likely to be many more Gilad Schalits.
Our hearts go out to Schalit’s parents. With their son’s life on the line, we do not presume to tell them to focus on the collective good. But the rest of us have precisely that obligation…
The biggest mistake the Free Gilad Schalit movement could make would be to continue directing its energies against the government. Our democratic society has responsibilities that go beyond the welfare of a single Israeli hostage. We cannot allow either emotional blackmail – no matter how understandable its source – or media frenzy amid a political leadership vacuum to stampede the country into a bad bargain.
