This is what redemption looks like: A foot steps down from a helicopter, light as a feather, and a mother hugs her son. A lost object is returned to its owner. Skin touches skin, body warmth, the soft rhythm of home. How good it is to have you home. It is difficult to encompass this story in words, this story that has come full circle with a happy ending, at least on a private level. It is hard not to be happy, a simple and genuine happiness of a son returning home. On Tuesday, we embraced someone we hardly know. Someone who simply shares our nationality. Simply? It turns out that in our singular Israeli-Jewish reality, sharing our nationality is anything but simple. Get the Israel Hayom newsletter sent to your mailbox! How thin he appeared, and how pale. We were all appalled and trembling. And then, we rejoiced, and carefully followed every step he took on his way to his parents. We teared up, and we were proud of the strangers who gathered in Mitzpe Hila and sang "Am Yisrael Chai" ("The people of Israel live"). For some reason, out of the sea of all the existing words, those were the ones felt deepest in our hearts. Today I am among those who hope we are wrong, who pray that all those prophecies based on reality will not be fulfilled. We pray that the price paid for Gilad will not be the lives of others; that the statistics are wrong, that releasing those predators will not cost us horrific bloodshed. I have a feeling many of us have the word "but ..." on the tips of our tongues. Those who opposed the deal (and there are many, neglected by the media), said, "Yes, we must bring him home, but not at that price." Those who supported the deal said, "Yes, the price is high, but we had to bring him home." I heard the Israeli spirit on both sides, the voice of mutual responsibility, and the voice of "Am Yisrael Chai." I saw people walking on the street congratulating one other. We can be weak and say that we surrendered. Or we can be proud that we are the only country in the world that would trade the life of a single soldier for 1,000 enemy killers. And we took a great risk to save one of our sons. We must take advantage of this unique time, the time of Gilad, a time of unity and brotherhood. We must realize how great our spirit is, be proud of who we are. And hoist up the Israeli flag.
Am Yisrael Chai
מערכת ישראל היום
מערכת "ישראל היום“ מפיקה ומעדכנת תכנים חדשותיים, מבזקים ופרשנויות לאורך כל שעות היממה. התוכן נערך בקפדנות, נבדק עובדתית ומוגש לציבור מתוך האמונה שהקוראים ראויים לעיתונות טובה יותר - אמינה, אובייקטיבית ועניינית.
