Netanyahu: Mission accomplished -'I have brought your son back home.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted Shalit as he stepped down from the Helicopter. He told him: "Welcome back to the State of Israel. It's so good to have you home."

Zvi Shalit, Gilad's grandfather, said his grandson was in "better condition that we feared." Describing the family reunion at the Tel Nof base, he said: "Gilad spoke very quietly and said he was tired and wanted to go to sleep."

Shalit underwent extensive medical examinations after he felt ill on his way to Tel Nof. IDF medical teams decided that despite the temporary setback, Shalit will fly home to Mitzpe Hila later Tuesday afternoon.

Netanyahu, in a short address to journalists at the entrance to the base, said that the country today was “united in joy and pain.”

“Two and a half years ago I returned to the Prime Minister's Office. One of the central and complicated goals that I found on my desk was to bring back our kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit safe and sound. Today that mission was accomplished.”

Netanyahu, describing the considerations he weighed in making the decision to agree to the 1,027 for 1 swap, said that as a soldier and commander he was often sent on dangerous missions, but always knew that if captured, the government would do everything in its power to bring him and his comrades home.

Full Remarks:

"Citizens of Israel, today we are all united in joy and in pain. 

Two-and-a-half years ago, I returned to the Prime Minister's Office. One of  

the principal and most complicated missions that I found on my desk, and  

which I set my heart to, was to bring our abducted soldier Gilad Shalit back  

home, alive and well. Today, that mission has been completed.

As a leader who daily sends out soldiers to defend  Israeli citizens, I believe that mutual responsibility is no mere slogan –  it is a cornerstone of our existence here.
 But I also see an additional need, that of minimizing the danger to the  security of Israel's citizens. To this end, I enunciated two clear demands.  First, that senior Hamas leaders, including arch-murderers, remain in  prison. Second, that the overwhelming majority of those designated for release either be expelled or remain outside Judea and Samaria, in order to  impede their ability to attack our citizens. 

For years, Hamas strongly opposed these demands. But several months ago, we  received clear signs that it was prepared to back down from this opposition.  Tough negotiations were carried out, night and day, in Cairo, with the  mediation of the Egyptian government. We stood our ground, and when our  main demands were met – I had to make a decision. 

I know very well that the pain of the families of the victims of terrorism  is too heavy to bear. It is difficult to see the miscreants who murdered  their loved ones being released before serving out their full sentences.  But I also knew that in the current diplomatic circumstances, this was the  best agreement we could achieve, and there was no guarantee that the  conditions which enabled it to be achieved would hold in the future. It  could be that Gilad would disappear; to my regret, such things have already  happened. 

At such moments, a leader finds himself alone and must make a decision. I  considered – and I decided. Government ministers supported me by a large  majority. 

And today, now Gilad has returned home, to his family, his people and his  country. This is a very moving moment. A short time ago, I embraced him as  he came off the helicopter and escorted him to his parents, Aviva and Noam,  and I said, 'I have brought your son back home.' 

But this is also a hard  day; even if the price had been smaller, it would still have been heavy. 

I would like to make it clear: We will continue to fight terrorism. Any  released terrorist who returns to terrorism – his blood is upon his head.  

The State of Israel is different from its enemies: Here, we do not celebrate  

the release of murderers. Here, we do not applaud those who took life. On  

the contrary, we believe in the sanctity of life. We sanctify life. This  

is the ancient tradition of the Jewish People.

 

Citizens of Israel, in recent days, we have all seen national unity such as  we have not seen in a long time. Unity is the source of Israel's strength,  now and in the future. Today, we all rejoice in Gilad Shalit's return home  to our free country, the State of Israel.

Tomorrow evening, we will  celebrate Simchat Torah. This coming Sabbath, we will read in synagogues,  as the weekly portion from the prophets, the words of the prophet Isaiah  (42:7): 'To bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in  darkness out of the prison-house.' Today, I can say, on behalf of all  Israelis, in the spirit of the eternal values of the Jewish People: 'Your  children shall return to their own border [Jeremiah 31:17].' Am Yisrael  Chai! [The People of Israel live!]."