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Source: http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2009/11/24/for_israel_shalit_case_is_personal/
For Israel, Shalit Case Is Personal
(Boston Globe) James F. Smith - Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Michael B. Oren, explained Monday why Israel has become so obsessively focused on winning the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas in Gaza since 2006. Oren declined to comment on news reports suggesting that Shalit's release could be imminent, saying there had been false alarms in the past. However, he said, "to understand Gilad Shalit is to understand the State of Israel and who we are." Nearly all young Israelis go into the army. "It's not just some distant force. It's us, it's our family, it's our kids. The Shalit family is our family," he said. "And even though we may have to release people who may further endanger us, we also have to know that when we send our children out to the battlefield to defend our country, should they fall captive, we're going to do everything possible to secure their release."