Gilad Shalit: The price goes up
The price for releasing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit has likely risen as a result of the cabinet's decision on Sunday to trade Samir al-Kuntar - among others - in exchange for the dead bodies of kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. After all, Shalit is alive. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar on Monday hailed the inclusion of jailed Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar in an imminent Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap, saying it paved the way for the release of Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis.Writing in Tuesday's Jerusalem Post, Caroline Glick says Israel gave up even more than what has previously been disclosed.
Mahmoud Zahar called on Hamas to take advantage of Israel's decision to release accused of having blood on their hands, such as Kuntar, who is serving multiple life sentences for murdering a Nahariya family in 1979.
The Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved the prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah. Under the terms of the deal, Hezbollah will release the two Israeli soldiers it seized in July 2006, and Israel will release Kuntar, four Hezbollah militants, the remains of Lebanese civilians and several dozen Palestinian prisoners.
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Israel has refused to release many of the prisoners Hamas is demanding as part of the exchange, on the grounds that they were involved in killing Israelis.
Expectations among security prisoners in Israeli jails have been heightened as the exchange deal draws near, and particularly on the issue of Palestinian prisoners.
Activists have not concealed their disappointment over reports that the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released will be very limited, and that they would be chosen by Israel alone.
"If that is the case, the deal is disappointing" to say the least, one activist said. "Nevertheless, we will wait until the deal is completed before we take a position."
In exchange for the bodies of two dead soldiers - Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser - Israel has succumbed to all of Hizbullah's demands. It will release six murderers from prison and send them to Lebanon for a hero's welcome. It will give Hizbullah the bodies of 200 terrorists and so empty Israel's Potters Field for terrorists. Moreover, it has pledged to close Israel's graveyard for terrorists and so has committed future governments to never keeping terrorists' bodies as bargaining cards for future swaps of Israeli hostages. Israel has agreed to provide Hizbullah with information on four missing Iranian "diplomats." And it has agreed to release an unknown number of Palestinian terrorists from prison.Israel Television admitted tonight that the media had put enormous pressure on the cabinet to approve the deal, which went through despite opposition from the security forces. With one or two exceptions, the media were in favor of the deal. Where have we heard that before?
This deal will cement Iran's control of Lebanon through Hizbullah. It also all but guarantees that any future Israeli soldiers taken hostage by Hizbullah will be killed on the spot. Why care for hostages when you can murder them and expect to receive the same payoff you would get if you kept them alive?
By the way, Glick slams Livni for her vote for the deal and attempting to evade its consequences afterward, as well as for her functioning as foreign minister generally for the last two and a half years. Livni views herself as Olmert's replacement. It's definitely worth it to read the whole thing.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:28 PM
6 Comments:
There's nothing in the deal that's good for Israel. If there's one element that's attractive, I'd like to hear it. In fact the silence of the deal's proponents speaks volumes as to what even they really think of it. To call it a disaster is the understatement of the year.
As for Caroline Glick's analysis of Tzipi Livni, the most charitable thing that can be said about her is that she's Ehud Olmert - without the corruption. In other words, an incompetent empty suit. The slogan in Israel ought to be "Any One But Livni." That would be an improvement.
I am speechless...
It's time for Israeli's to speak up...
As a non-citizen it's not my right to impose from the diaspora.
I just think you'll have lost your mind
This is beyond shocking and leaves me just speechless.
What is happening in Israel???
It appears the nation is totally psychologically broken. It is just tragic.
Has Smolmert also caved to the Hezbonazi demand for maps to the mines laid in S. Lebanon?
I really can't stand this anymore. Why isn't someone able to organize protests? People are angry, but seem not able to do anything. A few MKs, like Steinitz and Sa'ar - both should be pushed forward to major positions in the Likud - have been vocal. But the more nothing happens in response, the more frightening it's becoming.
I'm with normanf; I don't understand these deals at all.
My idea of diplomacy in this sort of situation runs something like this: "Hand over Gilad Shalit alive by noon tomorrow, or we will kick every Palestinian out of Gaza with 72 hours' notice to pack your bags, bulldoze all of the buildings, dig up all of the cables, blow up all of the weapons caches (except for any biological weapons we find, which we will drop in a remote location in Syria), and shoot anyone who offers armed resistance."
I'd be open to modifications of the above plan, but only in details; the main outline seems sound.
Oooh, I suppose now I'll be accused of being Hawkish?
[Sorry: just had to vent.]
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