By Shoshana Bryen – 

The Government of Israel redeemed IDF Sgt. Gilad Shalit from five years of Hamas captivity the week of Simchat Torah, when Jews read “be strong and resolute” (“chazak v’ematz”) three times in the Haftorah from Joshua. The first two times, Joshua is enjoined by God: “Be strong and resolute, for you shall apportion to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.” (1:5) and “I charge you: Be strong and resolute; do not be terrified or dismayed.” (1:8) But the third time, Joshua faces his people who tell him, “Any man who flouts your commands and does not obey every order you give him shall be put to death. Only be strong and resolute!” (1:17).
The lesson is not for Sgt. Shalit who was, apparently, strong and resolute. The lesson is for the Government of Israel.
The Israeli public holds conflicting views of the Shalit deal – a majority supports the government’s decision to ransom the soldier, but a majority thinks it will endanger Israel.  And, by a large margin it believes the Palestinians remain dedicated to the destruction of Israel. It is not in the mood for further dealing. For now, Israelis may be willing to follow the government into a danger zone as the Israelites followed Joshua – with a warning, “only be strong and resolute.”
Having the last Israeli out of Gaza frees the Government to make choices about its future, making this very much like the moment in 2005 that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon removed 10,000 Israelis from their homes, farms, synagogues and cemeteries in Gaza.
Emotionally, politically and economically wrenching, the Disengagement was promoted by Sharon as a choice for Israel’s future: removing Israeli civilians who might become hostages, allowing the Palestinians self-government and (unspoken) clearing the way for Israel to punish the Palestinians for future misdeeds. The Israeli public reluctantly agreed, believing Sharon would be “strong and resolute.” But Sharon was felled by a stroke. Hamas then won the legislative elections and ousted Fatah in a brutal civil war. The shelling of southern Israel commenced and there was no strong and resolute leader to make Hamas pay until thousands of rockets and missiles later.
The return of Shalit removes the last hostage in Gaza.  It is also a measure of retaliation by Israel against PA leader Mahmoud Abbas, who had flouted Israel (and America) with his UN speech, his application for membership in UNESCO, and his announced plan to “internationalize” the conflict with Israel and fight in other venues. The deal worked as punishment by enhancing Hamas, Fatah’s mortal enemy.  Even West Bank Palestinians waved Hamas flags at the “victory celebrations.”
Israel now would seem to be the opposite of a country planning to enter negotiations for the purpose of making concessions.  And yet, the United States and the Quartet seem to think of the Shalit ransom as clearing away an obstacle to the renewal of the “peace process.” Quartet envoys are planning meetings with Israelis and Palestinians to restart talks, hoping, say Quartet spokesmen, to head off the Palestinian bid for UN membership that will arise again in November.  “Let’s push ahead,” they seem to be saying. “Israel and Hamas made one deal, they can make another.  Israel paid a substantial ransom for one soldier; maybe we can find a payment Israel can make that would avert the Palestinian bid for statehood in the UN.”
There is no deal to be made with Fatah, no “other” deal with Hamas; no reason now for negotiation. The Quartet would do well to read Joshua and understand the Israeli people when they say to their government, “Only be strong and resolute.”

Shoshana Bryen has more than 30 years experience as a defense policy analyst and has been taking American military officers and defense professionals to Israel since 1982.