"Every Hebrew mother must know that she has put the fate of her sons in the hands of commanders who are worthy of the responsibility" - David Ben-Gurion

This motto hangs proudly at the entrance of the IDF's Officer Training School, and the many generations of officers and commanders who passed through its doors were imbued with that spirit.  They learned that they had to become commanders worthy of a great responsibility - worthy of leading the sons and daughters of Israel into battle, and capable of bringing them safely back home.

The emotional sight of Gilad Shalit gaining his freedom from Hamas after five and a half years in captivity, and the process by which that freedom was gained, caused the Israeli public to see this fundamental principle in a new light and suggested another version of the motto: "Every Hebrew soldier must know that waiting at home are parents following the example of Aviva and Noam Shalit, who saved their son in his hour of need."

We were morally obligated to negotiate the release of Gilad Shalit.  As soon as we knew we could not rescue him militarily, we had no choice but to reach a deal, although we knew without a shadow of doubt that the bill for the Shalit deal will come due - perhaps quite soon - and Israel will have to pay the price.  We already know some of the costs: a stronger Hamas; further deterioration of our deterrence capability; increased motivation for the enemy to engage us with terror and not peace; a dangerous precedent for the future.  But even knowing all this, reaching this agreement was the right thing to do.  

Usually, most Israelis consider themselves security experts and political analysts, but when it came to Gilad Shalit, Israelis reacted first and foremost as parents.  Israelis did not think of themselves as standing in the shoes of Binyamin Netanyahu, but of standing in those of Aviva and Noam Shalit. 

And that is perhaps the most significant long-term impact of the release of Shalit for us as a society and as a nation under siege in a dangerous neighborhood.  This is one more sign that Israelis' faith in the State and its institutions is weakening.  Israeli citizens no longer trust that their country - especially the army - will always be there for them if, G-d forbid, they or their children are ever in Shalit's situation.

Because ultimately, it was not really the Prime Minister who gained the release of Gilad Shalit.  Although he was the one who made the final decision and signed the deal, the people who created the conditions in which the Prime Minister had essentially no other choice were Gilad's parents.  They are the real heroes of this story.  With admirable modesty, dignity, determination, and self-sacrifice, Aviva and Noam mobilized the entire country.  They knew they could not rely on "the system" - the army, the government - to obtain their son's freedom.  Despite all the declarations and promises, "the system" has its own considerations and priorities, and Gilad's freedom was not necessarily always at the top of the list.  Once the Shalits understood this, early on in the process, they took the struggle into their own hands.  With the help of thousands of volunteers and supporters, they turned the release of one kidnapped soldier into the paramount national priority for the overwhelming majority of their fellow citizens.

My oldest son is now in his final year of high school, after which he will enlist in the IDF.  Thousands of people like me, parents of soldiers or soldiers-to-be, naturally see Aviva and Noam Shalit as role models.  We whisper to ourselves, "God forbid I should ever be in their position, but if I am, I will follow their example."

This attitude, of reduced trust in the collective and increased trust in one's own ability to influence one's personal fate, of no longer preferring the national interest over the personal, is all of a piece with the upheavals currently sweeping the entire world.  We can point to examples such as the Arab Spring that brought down tyrannical regimes, and the Occupy Wall Street protests in the USA - as well as the social protests in Israel this last summer, in which the demonstrations of a few individuals metamorphosed into a wave of mass protest that changed national priorities, challenged giant corporations, threatened the influence of major power-brokers... and who knows where it will end.

Gilad Shalit is now at home, in the loving, protective arms of his family.  The successful struggle of Aviva and Noam evokes awe and admiration, but it also adds one more push to the changing national priorities, perturbing the balance between the individual and society, and altering the decision-making process of the country.  The change from "Every Hebrew mother must know" to "every Hebrew soldier must know" may be the most important long-term effect of the release of Gilad Shalit.