The negotiator who freed a hostage for a thousand Palestinians

Gershon Baskin dedicated his life to fostering ties between Israelis and Palestinians, even at the cost of family relationships. After his cousin was killed in a 2005 attack, he vowed to save lives. He engaged with Hamas to negotiate the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, which took five years and resulted in over a thousand Palestinian prisoners being released, including his cousin's killers. Baskin reflects on the negotiation process, including interactions with key figures like David Meidan from Mossad and Ghazi Hamad from Hamas. He emphasizes the need for a political solution and expresses concerns about Israel's future under Netanyahu's leadership. Baskin believes that Trump's intervention could be crucial for resolving the conflict and advocates for cooperation with Arab parties to ensure a governable Israel.