A POSSIBLE WAY OUT OF THE SHALIT HOSTAGE SITUATION

Both Israel and the Hamas government are at an impasse over the Gilad Shalit hostage situation. Both sides are in a sense hostages to their own public opinion. Israel refuses to release Palestinian detainees held in its prisons in return for Shalit's release. The release of detainees will in Israeli opinion be perceived as a surrender to terrorist demands. The Hamas for its part cannot because of Palestinian public opinion release the captured soldier without attaining the release of Palestinian detainees. The ideal solution would be a win-win one where neither side is perceived to be giving up on principle but at the same time would achieve the desired result for both parties. This can be achieved by reaching agreement over the firing of Palestinian missiles into southern Israel and Israel's targeted assassinations of Palestinian terrorists. The parties could agree that Gilad Shalit be released and that if within say three months no missiles are fired into Israel (or no other terrorist attacks are carried out) then Israel would release a certain agreed number of detainees. This could then set in motion further releases in "installments" over the coming years until a majority of the 9,000 detainees are released (apart from those with blood on their hands). The releases would only take place if no terrorist attacks took place in given time periods. Israel for its part could undertake to desist from targeted assassinations so long as no terrorist acts were committed by the Palestinians. Should the plan work then both sides could justly claim credit: for Israel the release of Shailt and a halt to terrorist attacks and for the Hamas the release of detainees and a cessation in targeted assassinations.