Israeli rabbis have ruled that all Palestinian prisoners should be killed on the spot if captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is killed by the Hamas movement.
"If Gilad Shalit, heaven forbid, is executed or not returned in peace, prisoners will be executed immediately," ruled the court of the Rightist reestablished rabbinical body Sandhedrin organization.
The rabbis even suggested that Israel must capture top Palestinian figures, "including ministers, prime ministers, and anyone associated with the enemy's leadership," as part of the effort to bring Shalit home.
Shalit was captured in a cross border operation by Palestinian fighters in 2006. Hamas is demanding the release of 1,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel in exchange for his release.
No deal has yet been reached between Hamas and Tel Aviv. Israeli rabbis have played a role in blocking the exchange deal.
"In order to avoid collapse that would entail, heaven forbid, another holocaust, the Shalit deal must be blocked even at the cost of his life, while, on the other hand, any effort must be taken to rescue him immediately through using the lives of murderous terrorists we have in our hands as hostages," according to the rabbis.