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The First Exchange Between Terrorist Organizations and Israel

Deal Date: January 21, 1968 (18th of Shevat, 5728)

This first deal saw two Israeli soldiers, Aharon Aharonson and Israel Kastner, who had been kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists, freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. This marked the beginning of Israel’s involvement in hostage exchanges, setting a precedent for future negotiations.

The Abraham Amram Deal

Deal Date: January 11, 1979 (19th of Tevet, 5739)

After Israeli soldier Abraham Amram was kidnapped in Lebanon and held for over a year, he was released in exchange for 76 terrorists, including some convicted murderers.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe strongly criticized this deal, arguing that such exchanges were illogical and dangerous. He warned that they encouraged terrorism and resulted in the release of dangerous individuals. His position was based on the principle of safeguarding life and prioritizing the collective well-being over individual concerns, questioning whether these exchanges could jeopardize Jewish lives in the future.

The Jibril Deal

Deal Date: May 21, 1985 (11th of Sivan, 5745)

The Jibril deal remains one of the most infamous exchanges in Israeli history. In this deal, 1,151 security prisoners were freed in exchange for three IDF soldiers captured at the Sultan Yacoub battle.

Among the released prisoners was Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who later went on to establish Hamas. This deal played a direct role in triggering the First Intifada.

The Oslo Accords

Deal Date: September 13, 1993 (8th of Elul, 5753)

As part of the Oslo Accords, approximately 9,200 Palestinian prisoners were released as a goodwill gesture to the Palestinian Authority. This deal paved the way for the Second Intifada (Al-Aqsa Intifada) in 2000, one of the most traumatic and violent periods in recent history.

The Tannenbaum/Har Dov Hostage Deal

Deal Date: January 27, 2004 (25th of Tevet, 5764)

This deal resulted in the release of 400 Palestinian terrorists and 35 foreign terrorists, including those involved in the kidnapping of Israeli officer Elchanan Tannenbaum and the Har Dov captives. The deal led to an increased understanding among terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah that kidnappings could yield successful outcomes. This set the stage for the 2006 Hezbollah kidnapping of soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, which ignited the Second Lebanon War.

The Goldwasser and Regev Deal

Deal Date: August 16, 2008 (14th of Av, 5768)

Israel’s release of 10 prisoners, including terrorist Samir Kuntar, and 199 Hezbollah fighters’ bodies in exchange for the return of soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser only further fueled Hamas’s desire to engage in more kidnappings. This culminated in the abduction of Gilad Shalit in 2006.

The Shalit Deal

Deal Date: November 18, 2011 (22nd of Cheshvan, 5772)

Perhaps the most well-known deal in Israel, this exchange saw Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit freed from Hamas captivity in exchange for 1,027 terrorists, many of whom were serving life sentences.

While the deal successfully brought Shalit home, it also greatly empowered Hamas, providing them with an incentive to continue kidnapping Israeli soldiers. The repercussions of this deal were starkly evident during the October 7, 2023 Simchas Torah attacks, when Hamas launched a devastating assault on Israel. This attack underscored the serious security risks associated with such exchanges, a concern that the Rebbe had raised as early as 1979.

By Shneur Kenig

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