IMHO: Middle East

This may sound absolutely heartless, but I think Israel should issue poison pills to its border soldiers. Really, Israel says that it will not negotiate with terrorists, but they have done so in past and released prisoners for the safe return of citizens held hostage. If they want to prevent this in future, they should put their money where their mouth is and write off kidnapped soldiers and citizens. I don't advocate suicide, but Israel would find itself in fewer tight political situations with Hamas and Hiz-b-ullah if any of its kidnapped soldiers killed themselves. As Leonard Nimoy has said in past, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". Consider how many Israeli troops and Palestinian civilians have already died as a result of Israel's recent assault on the Gaza strip and their incursions into southern Lebanon. Where their lives any more or less valuable than Corporal Shalit?

I can't see any way out of the current situation in the middle east. The tit-for-tat violence needs to end. Israel has a right to defend itself, but why do they need to overreact so much? Their reactions only play into the hands of their enemies. Can't they see that? Furthermore, can't Arabs see that provoking Israel only leads to needless death?