Israel will free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit.

The family of Gilad Shalit have had some success in forcing Netanyahu to do something to try to ensure the release of their son.

Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, tonight confirmed he was prepared to release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, but drew the line at paying "any price" for the soldier's freedom.

In a live broadcast, clearly in response to pressure brought by a 12-day march across the country by the soldier's supporters, Netanyahu spoke emotionally about the Shalits' ordeal but insisted he bore responsibility for the nation's interests.

"I look into the pained eyes of Shalit's family and feel the pain with them," the prime minister said. "The call to pay any price is a natural cry from the hearts of his fathers, mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters. As a brother, as a father, as a son, I understand this cry from the depths of my heart. But before me I see the security of all the state's citizens.

"The state of Israel is willing to pay a heavy price for the release of Shalit, but it cannot say 'at any price.' "

No-one would ask that Israel has to pay "any price", but there is precedent for the state of Israel releasing many Palestinian prisoners in order to ensure the release of their soldiers.

So, Netanyahu can only be making this point because he dislikes some of the names which Hamas has given as the price of releasing Gilad.

Remember Israel holds thousands of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are political prisoners.

At the time of writing, about 5,600 Palestinians are in Israeli custody for political reasons - there are also a few hundred common criminals.

The batch of about 350 prisoners released as a "goodwill gesture" by Israel on 6 August gives a good indication of the kind of activity many Palestinians are jailed for.

Membership of Hamas, Islamic Jihad or other Palestinian militant organisations, stone-throwing, assisting militant organisations or "wanted" Palestinians, firearms and explosives offences.

I imagine, although I have nothing to back this up, that Netanyahu is referring to people like Marwan al-Barghouti when he states that he will not release just anyone to ensure Gilad is reunited with his parents.

But Netanyahu's position has not gone down well with Gilad Shalit's parents.

Noam Shalit, the abducted soldier's father, said Netanyahu's statement was a "recycling" of the position taken by the former prime minister, Ehud Olmert.

However, Zvi Shalit, the soldier's grandfather, said Netanyahu's position represented a "death sentence for Gilad".

The Israeli government's reaction to Gilad's abduction has been disgraceful from day one. They could have offered a prisoner swap from the beginning, but Olmert decided to invade Lebanon in a war which cost Israel her international reputation and her record as a nation which never loses a war.

The real wonder is that Shalit is alive at all after Israel engaged in an act of collective punishment against the peoples of Gaza and Lebanon.

But all the indications are that this young Israeli is still alive. It's long past the time when the Israeli government should get serious about ensuring that Shalit is reunited with his parents.

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Tags: Israel, Palestine, Gilad Shalit, Netanyahu