I am very excited. News of the deal being signed reached me while I was sitting in a municipal council meeting, and, at first, I didn't understand what the person was trying to tell me. When I understood, I burst into tears. I certainly frightened everyone there. Although I have not yet spoken with Noam and Aviva Shalit, I can see from the media images that it is likely I won't be able to reach them in the near future. They know how happy I am for them and that I am sending them a warm hug. The only thing I want right now is to hug an abducted soldier who has returned from his extended captivity and knows that it is over. To the people of Israel, I want to make a grand request. I understand that there are some who want to challenge this deal in the next few days in the High Court. Families of terror victims want to take action and I ask them, instead, just to say yes to Gilad's return. The wave of social justice that has swept the country was born out of the demonstrations for the release of Gilad. Gilad was the inspiration to bring the nation back to its core values and to demand social justice. It is worthwhile not to overlook this just because of our hatred for these prisoners. I will remember this moment, as I experienced another similar one; but in this situation, we are getting Gilad back alive. It has been a long struggle: two were already returned and now Gilad is on the way. I just want to hug him and my circle will close; I hope it will never open again. I am not available now for individual emotional sensibilities. I am filled with prayers that this deal will actually come through and Gilad will finally be home. That is all I can see now; in my imagination, I already see him at home. The writer is the mother of Ehud Goldwasser, an IDF soldier who was abducted and killed by Hezbollah in July 2006, sparking the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
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