Hamas leader Mashaal has accused Israel of obstructing the Shalit exchange.

Refusing to give in to a terrorist’s demand for the release of hundreds of murderers and a thousand trash prisoners obstructs the exchange in the same way that the screams of a rape victim obstruct consensual sex.

After Iran announced its plans to build additional nuclear installations and demonstrated the capabilities of its new missiles, the US military establishment engaged in its customary saber-rattling. The Defense Secretary submitted a memo to Obama suggesting that he  not rule out an attack, and Pentagon started updating its strike plans.

By the time new plans are ready, the US will have withdrawn much of its army from Iraq. Such a time would not be suitable for an attack: the US will have insufficient troops in Iraq to ward off Iranian provocations, but still enough troops to present an attractive target for Iranian saboteurs.

Singling out Iran for an attack over its nuclear ambitions would not be great PR for Obama: why bomb a Muslim state but not North Korea or India? Though the decision ultimately depends on Obama’s mood at any given time, an American attack on Iran remains elusive.

Netanyahu declared, “We will pursue relentlessly the murderers of our children.”

Yeah, really, by allowing hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo into Gaza, making tax transfers to the PA (and by extension, to the Al Aqsa Martyrs), and by keeping those murderers in resort-like jails with satellite TV, cellular phones, and pocket cash allowances.