Reply #72: It doesn't seem to have done so in the past... [View All]

[Violet_Crumble]

It's never been a commonly used tactic in this conflict, and in the case of the hitch-hiker, I read that he was shot pretty soon after being kidnapped, so holding him as part of a possible prisoner exchange doesn't look like it was a driving motivation. I see no other realistic solution other than an exchange of prisoners. Doing what Israel is now doing isn't a realistic solution, and in fact is probably bound to result in the soldier being killed, as well as continuing to escalate to the point where civilians are going to die as well. The best chance of getting the soldier returned alive is to do a prisoner exchange, and an exchange of women and children imprisoned by Israel is what the militants and leaders of Hamas want. Olmert should reconsider rejecting it....