Israel Speaks
The release of prisoner of war Gilad Shalit was undoubtedly
one of the biggest recent events in Israel.
There is probably no one in the country who has not heard of him
and seen his pictures which were everywhere during his 5-year
Hamas captivity in Gaza.
We will meet one of Israel's hundreds of former prisoners of war
who will tell us how the time in captivity affected his life.
We will also hear those who opposed the Gilad Shalit deal.
According to the agreement Israel had to pay over 1000 terrorists
in exchange for Gilad Shalit.
On October 18th 2011 Hamas released the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Gilad was kidnapped during his army service in 2006 when he was
19 years old.
On the day of his release Gilad was transported from the Gaza Strip
to Egypt where he was interviewed by a local tv-reporter.
From there he was handed over to the Israeli army representatives.
After a short health inspection he met his parents and his family.
From morning till night most Israelis followed the events of the day
and Gilad's return to his home in the Upper Galilee.
I sat all day in front of the TV. Maybe it was slightly exaggerated.
I followed every moment of his return home and even afterwards.
Ever since I heard of the release, my everyday life stopped.
I lived in excited anticipation.
On the day of the release I woke up at 5 am
because I couldn't sleep all night.
I heard there were many people like me.
I watched the TV around the clock.
It was one of the happiest moments.
I watched the TV until the moment I had to go to work.
I saw the release, the Egyptian in- terview and everything that happened.
It felt very good.
I was in the army and every time we could we listened to the radio.
We felt we were the only ones not sitting in front of the TV.
Gilad Shalit has not appeared in public since his release.
His family members, however, have said he is gradually getting used to
normal life.
There has been a lot of talk about how the long captivity has affected
his mental health and what kind of a recovery process he has to undergo.
Perhaps the right people to evaluate it are the former prisoners of war
living in the country.
Yoram Rubinstein is an accountant and a father of 3 who lives in Haifa
with his wife, Lea.
He was taken captive in the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
I was a 22 year-old Air Force copilot in a Phantom F-4 fighter jet.
I fought in the beginning of the war for a couple of weeks -
from Oct 6th until Oct 20th 1973.
On Oct 20th in an attack against an Egyptian airport our plane was hit.
We were able to return part of the way, -
but right before the Suez Canal we had to abandon the plane, -
because the plane could not continue.
We were afraid we would crash and then I and the pilot bailed out
with the ejector seats and fell into an Egyptian army camp.
Yoram was in captivity for a few weeks in Egypt.
Most of that time he was in complete isolation.
However, he knew there were other Israeli soldiers in captivity with him.
I guess because I was an officer and a co-pilot, -
I suffered much greater physical torture.
Our advantage was that we had been prepared for that.
Not that it makes it any easier, but at least you know where you stand
and what they are allowed to do and what not.
They can do whatever they want to us.
They will probably not kill us, but besides that they could do
whatever they wanted.
They didn't give us food for almost a week and only a little water.
Everything was allowed, because that was my status.
It was more or less what I had expected.
Many others, mostly infantry soldiers, -
were not prepared for it.
They had to go to war, which was hard already and demanded many victims.
Suddenly they were captured without knowing what would happen.
After their release most of them received a very poor welcome
from the defence ministry and the army.
It might explain why the experience in captivity has been less traumatic
for me than for others.
The prisoners of war who returned did not receive the necessary treatment.
No one listened to them or paid attention to them.
People had to continue their lives, to study, work, -
raise families and children.
It's hard to say if it was a satisfactory solution.
Probably not, because some of the traumas came later on.
Psychologists today say that the post-traumatic reactions
come up only after 20-30 years.
People lost their jobs or an eco- nomical crisis broke them down
and they couldn't function normally.
Family relationships turned out not to have been as they should.
The children grew up with a father who they needed to take care of
and be careful around so as not to aggrivate or bother him.
On the other hand, due to fear and worry some fathers
care too much for their children.
They are afraid of their army service and other dangerous things.
They pass their own fears on to their children.
The children cannot always resist because they respect the parents.
This circle has an effect even today, even though back then people
continued to work and live.
It was easier for those who were older and more educated and -
who had a stronger character and mind.
There are those of us who have succeeded in our careers and
served in public positions.
At least two served in high ranks in the army.
On average, however, there are too many who cannot live
their lives and who are not doing well.
Yoram Rubinstein belongs to a support group called "Erim B'Layla" -
"Night Watchers" - founded by former prisoners of war.
Luckily I do not suffer from insomnia or nightmares
which take many of us back to those horrible days and nights
we spent in prison.
To my surprise, however, it turned out afterwards -
when they began to treat us ten years ago
and after over 5 years of going to a psychologist -
that I, too, in my own way have suffered from a prolonged trauma -
that resulted from my experiences in Egypt.
Most of us have been diagnosed with PTSD - post trauma stress disorder.
That is our disability.
With regards to Gilad, the system, partly thanks to our organization, -
has probably learned from past mistakes.
He is accompanied by a therapist who, according to the newspapers, -
is a psychologist who is a member of Night Watchers and a former
prisoner of war himself.
He has served as the Air Force psychologist and treated people
with post-traumatic problems for many years.
I believe they will question Gilad in a much slower and softer pace
and he will not be attacked as we who had returned from captivity were.
I hope it will help him.
Hopefully he will get long-term treatment for months, -
maybe even years.
Undoubtedly the problems that we have had were mostly due to the fact
that we were not treated for 25 years.
Had we been treated immediately, most of the problems mentioned
could have been prevented.
During the entire existence of the state, the IDF has been committed
to doing everything it can to bring back all its soldiers.
In the case of Gilad Shalit that obli- gation was constantly on the table.
Of course, it makes me happy.
I got out of the army 3 months ago.
As a soldier I would want them to do everything they can, -
if I was in that kind of a situation.
As a soldier I empathize with him and they have to bring him back.
He served the country, which is our national obligation.
Because army service is not volun- tary, they have to bring him back.
It was a great joy to see him released and to see the state doing its best
for everyone who serves in the army and is captured.
It is the obligation of the state towards everyone.
Because we are a small nation who is obligated to one another, -
we have to take the good with the bad.
As a citizen I have to realize that a Jewish boy was kidnapped
without a reason only because he was Israeli.
He was kidnapped, tortured and held in prison for 5½ years.
His family suffered all that time.
It could have happened to me and to all of us, because all of our
children serve in the army.
I knew that I would come back, because they always released
the soldiers at that time.
I was captured two weeks after the war started and I knew
there were already 200 prisoners of war in Egypt.
I knew that Israel could not let so many soldiers be in captivity
for a long time.
In the same war there were some 70 Israeli prisoners in Syria.
They were released after 8 months.
They were also sure of their release.
The fact that things are not as clear now is not the people's fault
but the leadership's fault.
It is the fault of the military and political leaders' cowardice.
The knowledge of Gilad Shalit's re- lease sparked great enthusiasm and joy
in the people.
The Israeli media discussed the events in detail.
Gilad's release coincided with the day when thousands of Christians
celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles held their annual solidarity march
on the streets of Jerusalem.
They also participated in the people's joy over Gilad's release.
Less attention was paid to those who opposed the release deal.
Ron Khermann owns a printing business and has three children.
He is also Israel's former swimming champion.
I was born in Haifa.
We are now standing in our family printing house.
My grandfather was expelled from Mannheim in 1936
and he came here to this building with his children, -
one of which is my father.
My writing table is brought from Mannheim.
In March 2003 in Haifa a suicide terrorist borded bus no 37.
The terrorist exploded himself on one of the city's main streets.
17 people were killed in the attack most of them youth returning
from school.
Roni's oldest daughter Tal Khermann was one of them.
On March the 5th 2003 I was here next to the printing press.
The radio was on and suddenly it was interrupted by a news broadcast
informing of a terror attack in Haifa.
First I called my children, but the cellphone network fell down.
I used the regular line to call my ex-wife who said that Dror was home
but Tal was somewhere else.
Dror had talked to her a few minutes earlier.
Tal did not answer the phone.
Her name was not on the list of the wounded of which I was happy.
I started looking for her in the hospitals.
At around 5 pm they sent me to the national morgue in Abu Kabir.
Tal's body was identified by her teeth.
They told me it was her and she had died in the terror attack.
Tal
We will remember and not forget
Tal. I will always love you and remember you
Tal was 17 years and 9 months old. She was also born in Haifa.
On the one hand, she was very mature and, on the other, very childish.
She loved animals, especially the camel, and that is what we
have drawn to respect her memory.
Tal was very social and created connections irrespective of status.
She was a very happy girl.
Our last meeting was just between the two of us.
We were more like friends than father and daughter.
In the evening we went to a restaurant and I gave her money.
2 days later it was in the wallet, the bill came back to me.
Two years later three of the planners of the terror attack were caught.
The court sentenced each one to 18 life sentences in prison.
During Gilad Shalit's time in capti- vity there were discussions about
exchanging Gilad to a large number of terrorist prisoners in Israel.
Ron Khermann and a few other parents who lost their children in
terror attacks came together to oppose it.
During the five years when I was rarely given the opportunity to speak
they tried to twist my words into personal revenge.
It's not about that at all.
As I said, I have another two children and I want them to live
a full life here.
I have written an article and expressed my opinion
that it should be one terrorist in exchange for one -
even if it is my daughter's murderer.
It is not about personal revenge, al- though that would be understandable.
I said that the state must bring an end to this blackmail.
I was asked: How can you as a father criticise the family who is doing
everything they can for their son's release.
I was not criticising Gilad's family, but rather speaking to the leadership
with the voice of the minority.
Before we went to Jerusalem no one was talking about the price
and the fact that we should not release the murderers.
During the negotiations with Hamas Israel did not publish the names
of the released terrorists.
The list of the released terrorists was published only after the signing
of the deal 2 days before its execution.
The terrorists in question had the blood of over 600 Israelis
on their hands.
The three murderers of Tal Khermann were on that list.
We appealed to the Supreme Court against Israeli sensorship.
We demanded, if not names, then the publication of the acts committed by
the released terrorists.
The Israeli public was not told that either.
Now that the people know exactly what the terrorists did, -
they are horrified.
Had the discussion been real and open, -
from the part of the government and the media, -
maybe the deal would not have been executed.
From previous deals we know exactly what the price is.
People in Israel consider the release of 1027 terrorists a heavy price.
Israel does not yet know what price it will have to pay.
From experience we know that more terror attacks will follow
demanding more victims.
The same terrorists cannot commit even on paper not to return to terrorism.
Earlier such a commitment was demanded, although it's not worth the paper.
Now they don't even demand that.
The Israeli society is not immune.
I am worried about the future.
Without a doubt there is an obli- gation to bring back our soldiers.
I was personally actively involved in this and met Gilad's family often.
It is a personal and important matter to me.
I don't want to get into political or military assessments.
I hear what people say.
It's enough for me that people in the army and Mossad said
it is possible.
- Was there a lot of talk about this among your family and friends?
- Yes, particularly, in the family, not so much with friends.
In the family we talked a lot and were more happy than angry.
It feels impossible to accept the release of those people
but apparently there was no other choice and we had to give in.
The fact that we came to a situation where we had to pay 1000 terrorists
in exchange for one is a little weird.
It says a lot about us.
I'm happy that one life is so valuable for us.
On the other hand, 1000 terrorists have returned
and have started their activities again.
It is connected to the release.
The family's young generation who went to the army opposed the deal.
My son-in-law served as an officer in the army.
His view was that if it happened to him he would not want them to release
so large a number because of him.
Nevertheless, he would expect the family to do all that Gilad's family did.
If asked about the release of murderers, he would say no.
This is what the young people think.
The opinions of the parents my age are divided.
Men were more rational and women tended to be more emotional.
The women in the family as mothers think Gilad must be released.
The men remind who they had to release and that there will be
terror attacks and murders.
I was absolutely for it and I didn't want any limit on the amount
of the released prisoners.
I still think it was the right decision, even though it may hurt.
Someone might disagree with me on the number of the released
but the decision had to be made before it was too late.
Soon it would have been too late.
- Do you remember when there were terror attacks? - Of course.
- If it happens again do you think it was because of this?
I also thought about that.
It's something we cannot prevent and it's not connected to Gilad's release.
There will always be terrorists and those who want to hurt us and
ruin our "peaceful" lives as much as possible.
That's just the way it is.
I thought about how Gilad would feel if he'd think it was because of him.
I hope he won't take it upon himself.
You cannot prevent it here in Israel.
For 5 years the support group of former prisoners of war prayed for
the release of Gilad Shalit.
The group is ready to welcome him with open arms as their youngest member.
The age difference is big. I feel closer to his parents who are my age.
We may not have much common language.
I hope he will not have to go through the same struggles we had to.
I hope that in 30-40 years he will be the only member of the group.
Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. -Psalm 143:9
Translation: Sonja Mattayev