One small step in the right direction

I am pleased that Gilad Shalit has been released by the militants in Gaza who have held him hostage for five years.

I cannot say that I am too convinced that releasing convicted prisoners in return for him is necessarily "a good thing". What is to stop someone else being kidnapped so that more prisoners can be exchanged for him/her at some point in the future? It sets a bad example.

My point about the Hamas - Israeli standoff remains what it was though. I am no fan of either the Israeli government nor of Hamas. Extreme attitudes produce extreme responses and extreme counter-responses, and progress to peace and common understanding will never be achieved that way.

Eventually though release of a hostage does indicate some ability to compromise - an important consideration in the development of a much-needed negotiation progress. We are still not even 1% of the way down the road to resolving the issues invoved, and the people of the area will continue to live a life on the knife-edge. Sadly for all concerned.

But any step down the road is better than no step at all, whatever misgivings you may have about some of the details involved.