Arab users tweet: Israel cares about its citizens

The release of Gilad Shalit has attracted worldwide attention, including that of Arab users of the Internet, who have used the Twitter social network to share their thoughts on the exchange deal with the world. Israel’s Channel 10 News presented some of the tweets written by Arab users since Shalit was released from captivity and returned to his family home this week. Many Tweeters wondered how little Arab citizens are worth to their governments, compared to the distance that Israel was ready to go for the release of one citizen. “I have to say something that you probably won’t like, but I’ll say it anyway: Israel exchanged 1000 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli,” a Syrian user wrote. “I’m just jealous of their government, because it cares about its citizens. Their government is willing to pay the ultimate price for one citizen. All this while our government is killing us like animals.” [1]

The Israeli news site, Ynet, also reported on an Arab voice of dissent [2] - "If only I had a country like yours", he wished, and wrote of Gilad Shalit; "You're lucky that you were born in Israel". He contrasted the extraordinary effort that was made to bring Shalit home with the brutal suppression of demonstrations in Syria, where tanks invaded the cities and fired in all directions. "Who is the enemy and who is a friend?" He asks. "Could it be that our problem is internal, and that Israel is just a side issue?"

Indeed, the concept that just one Israeli life is counted to be worth an exchange of so many dangerous Palestinians has clearly been hard to swallow for many. One cartoon circulating the internet has disgruntled Palestinian prisoners walking free, and calculating: "I did the math: I'm worth 70 grams of Israeli soldier". As distressing as it is to see violent criminals walk free before their sentence is paid, it's a sad statement about how their own leaders view their worth.

Those whose children will not be coming home

At the same time, whilst Gilad Shalit and all Israel with him may rejoice that his life was counted so dear and he is now safely home, many Israeli families are unable to even hope for the safe return of their lost ones. Thousands have been killed in terrorist attacks and violence over the years, and now some of those responsible for those murders are walking free, refusing to renounce violence.

One of the prisoners, Wafa a-Biss, who was detained in 2005 en route to exploding in Israeli hospital, immediately began to encourage children to follow her evil example. She said to crowds of children who were cheering her release and return to Gaza; "I hope you will walk the same path we took and God willing, we will see some of you as martyrs."

"We will pursue our struggle and (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) knows that. Arrests will not deter us from our strong battles and confrontation in the face of Zionist arrogance in the land of Palestine," she said. [3]

Much to pray for

So it is not without heaviness and deep sorrow for many of the families affected by the released terrorists that Shalit's freedom has been bought.

Please pray for these families who are now reliving some of their horror, and also pray for their enemies, as Jesus instructed us.

Pray for those in surrounding countries who are being oppressed by their leaders, and who wonder at the care given to Gilad Shalit. Pray for an awakening, a questioning, a reassessment of right and wrong. Pray that Jesus breaks into their thinking and sets them free.

Pray too, that the Shalit family would come to know their God and Jesus, the Messiah that was sent to redeem them.

[1] http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148935#.TqHokU_len9

[2] http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4136012,00.html

[2] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4136916,00.html