Israel Matzav

72% of Israelis favor releasing murderers for Shalit

I guess I'm in the minority here, although as Aaron Lerner points out, the poll didn't ask whether people are willing to have 'heavy murderers' (perpetrators of major terror attacks) released to Judea and Samaria, which is the current hangup between Israel and Hamas. Still, I find it disturbing that 72% of Israelis favor releasing murderers and endangering hundreds of other people in exchange for one kidnapped soldier.

Telephone poll of a representative sample of 501 adult Israelis (including Arab Israelis) carried out by Dahaf for Yediot Achronot (date of poll not indicated) [a Left wing poll. CiJ] and published on 25 June 2010.

What is your position regarding a deal within the framework of which hundreds of terrorists, among them murderers, will be released in exchange for Gilad Schalit?
Support 72% Oppose 21%

What are the chances that Schalit will be freed without Israel having to release hundreds of terrorists for him, including murderers?
Low to nil 74% Middle 13% High 8% Very high 3%

Will Schalit be freed or is his fate like that of Ron Arad?
Freed 64% Remain captive 23%

What do you think of the march for Gilad Schalit?
Correct 83% Mistake 15%

Do you or someone in your family plan to participate in the march?
Certain no 42% Think no 28%
Think yes 17% Certain yes 10%

Is the Netanyahu government doing everything it can to bring about the release of Schalit?
Yes 30% No 60%

Who is guilty that Gilad Schalit remains in captivity?
Hamas 17% Government of Israel 33% Both 49%

Just to give you some idea of the real issues at stake here....

Hamas has not replied to an Israeli offer to release hundreds of terrorists – including more than 100 responsible for murdering more than 600 Israelis – in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit, on condition they do not return to the West Bank, but go either to the Gaza Strip or to another country.

Israel, according to government sources, sent the offer through a German mediator six months ago, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The offer includes a willingness to release 450 Palestinian prisoners in negotiations with Hamas, and another 550 prisoners unilaterally as a gesture to the Palestinian Authority – meaning the Schalit deal would be one for 1,000.

Of the 450 Israel agreed to release in negotiations with Hamas are more than 100 terrorists with “blood on their hands.”

However, Israel has made clear it would not release what it has called “mega-terrorists” – those responsible for some of the worst atrocities.

Among those are the terrorists responsible for the attacks at Jerusalem’s Sbarro restaurant where 15 people were killed in 2001; the Moment Café where 11 were killed in Jerusalem in 2002; Café Hillel where seven were killed in the capital in 2003 ; the Rishon Lezion attack where 16 were killed in 2002; the Dolphinarium in Tel Aviv were 21 were killed in 2001; and the Park Hotel in Netanya where 30 people were killed on Seder night in 2002.

Israel has made clear that these, and other mega-terrorists would not be released because they would establish a “terrorist industry” wherever they were sent.

Hamas, however, is demanding the release of these megaterrorists.

They are also demanding they be allowed to return to the West Bank in order, according to Israeli assessments, to rehabilitate Hamas’s military capabilities there, after they have been dealt a huge blow over the last few years.

Israel’s demand that more than 100 of these 450 prisoners not return to the West Bank stems from the country’s bitter experience with previous prisoner releases, when many of those released returned to terrorism and were responsible for killing additional Israelis.

According to government numbers, some 45% of released terrorists return to terrorism.

The number is even higher among Hamas members, of whom 63% return to terrorism, and the Islamic Jihad, for which the number rises to 67%.

The most recent example of this recidivism can be seen in the case of the 400 terrorists released to gain the return of Elhanan Tannenbaum and the bodies of three IDF soldiers in 2004. Fifty-two percent of those released have returned to terrorism and are responsible for killing 27 Israelis is a number of different attacks.

According to government figures, 42% of the 1,150 prisoners released for three IDF soldiers in the Jibril prisoner exchange in 1985 returned to terrorism and, according to Israeli assessments, many were leaders of the second intifada.

Of course, what should have happened is that the IDF should have gone into Gaza and pulled Shalit out. But then the country was run by Ehud "tired of fighting" Olmert, Tzipi Livni and Amir "Comrade" Peretz then. And the IDF chief of staff was the 'hands off' Dan Halutz, who is rumored to be heading for the Kadima party. Just what the country doesn't need.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:40 AM