MOSCOW. Oct 18 (Interfax) - The head of the Kremlin Human Rights Council Mikhail Fedotov supports the Israeli authorities' decision to swap soldier Gilad Schalit for a thousand Palestinian prisoners.
"The agreement to swap Gild Schalit, which Israel managed to reach with Palestine, is a forced but correct step," Fedotov told Interfax on Tuesday.
"Israel's strenuous efforts to free its soldier deserve every respect. Everyone must understand that human life is the supreme value," he said.
Fedotov does not think that Israel will get confronted with a wave of terrorism following the release of a group of Palestinians.
"I don't think all of these 1,027 people are terrorists. We understand very well that some people in this thousand could have got into prison accidentally. I don't think the release of these people will incite terrorism. Terrorism is developing according to its logic without any boosting. It is the duty of all civilized states to counter terrorism," Fedotov said.
The Israeli authorities have confirmed that Schalit was handed over on Tuesday to Israeli officials, Al Jazeera television has reported.
Under an agreement between Israeli and Hamas, Schalit was handed over to Israel in exchange for 447 Palestinians on Tuesday. Israel pledged to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, overall.