Opinion  Nahum Barnea
Giving without taking
Nahum Barnea
Published: 30.07.13, 19:58
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44 Talkbacks for this article
1. The blame goes to the USA & EU - they will pay a heavy price
Baumann Yaacov   (07.30.13)
2. There is NO good reason for these evil talks.
Chaim ,   Israel   (07.30.13)
Oslo cost us more than 1,500 murdered and more than 14,000 maimed Israelis. Who knows how many more this evil abomination will cost? Even worse than the direct human cost is that these talks are meant to turn Israel into an absolutely helpless 9 mile wide concentration camp. There is NO good reason for these evil talks. Let every sane Israeli demand their immediate permanent end NOW!
3. Bla, bla bla...tell Bibi this is his last term.
Israeli 2   (07.30.13)
4. Bibi started-up the process in return for US bombing Iran.
Jake ,   USA   (07.30.13)
The prisoner release was a means to an end for Bibi. This is just a theory, but if the U.S. bombs Iran in the next 9 months, it will be proven true.
5. What we get in return
Dan ,   Florida-Tel Aviv   (07.30.13)
Releasing 120 Palestinian terrorists with blood on their hands will be a massive increase in terrorism, rocket attacks and dead Jews. Meanwhile 120 Palestinians will be dancing around like naked wood nymphs and horrific looking women will pass out sweet cakes.
6. Barnea Is Delusional
Oregano ,   Brooklyn NY   (07.30.13)
If the author of this article thinks Israel will gain any legitimacy in the eyes of the nations of the wold by releasing terrorists, he is delusional. The only way israel could gain the respect of anyone is by committing national Suicide. - which in effect is what they are doing. So maybe I'm the one that is off-the-wall.
7. not hard to understand why he release terrorists
david ,   new york   (07.30.13)
U.S. told him to.
8. #4: Then, mazel tov, he will lose on both counts
Cockamamie ,   Canada   (07.30.13)
9. Giving Without Taking
JMR ,   Monsey, Ny USA   (07.30.13)
Releasing terrorists to bring calm to the West Bank?! Bibi is living in la la land. JMR
10. #4, #6
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (07.31.13)
#4 there is no way Obama will attack Iran, and I doubt that Netanyahu believes he will #6 the only way for Israel to gain legitimacy is to stand up for her rights. Return PLO to Tunis, try Abbas for crimes against humanity, liberate Temple Mount for Islamic occupation.
11. dear bb...
les ,   canada   (07.30.13)
no matter how you twist it, turn it, massage it or torcher it, it is nothing less than succumbing to the enemy. whether it is hamas, hizbo, iran or your lefty "supporters", the enemy realized that TERROR WORKS. and this will, not so slowly erode israel's will to survive in that cesspool of "neighbourhood" .
12. The return gift...
Beary White ,   Norway   (07.30.13)
.. is coming from US; B-1 bombing the Iran nuclear installation. If not, mr BIBI, has a lot to answer for...
13. It is a shame the author doesn't...
Mark Kerlen ,   Toronto, Canada   (07.31.13)
It's a shame the author doesn't say what he and others like him have to offer: certain more wars, indefinitely.
14. You are one serious nut case
Lila ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.31.13)
Well done? Well done? Do you have any idea of the vicious cruelty of the people we are letting go free? How terrified their kidnap victims were as they were being tortured and mutilated?Is there a name for your mental illness, Nahum?
15. here is the sequence of events
CJK   (07.31.13)
when he became presiedent, obama demanded that israel freeze building in areas beyond the armistice lines. once that demand was made by obama, abbas was unable to come to the negotiating table. then, obama gave a speech to aipac, making the armistice lines the starting point for negotiations. then abbas could not negotiate except on armistice lines as starting point. netanyahu was not willing to agree to a freeze and he was not willing to base negotiations on the armistice lines. hence, he agreed to release some murderers who had already served many years in prison. the release will be made contingent on success of the negotiations. so the question is why does netanyahu want to negotiate. dm yaalon has said that it was deciding between the bad and the worse. although israel is a sovereign, she is not completely independent of others, such as the us and the eu. threats were made, and possibly promises were made. obama and the europeans are desperate for any deal since they are blackmailed by the arabs and by their own extremists. it is unlikely that a final status agreement will be reached, but it is possible that an interim deal will be reached. an interim deal is worse than no deal from israel's perspective. however, the intense pressure will be somewhat relieved.
16. Israel has lost all moral legitimacy.
Zev ,   Israel   (07.31.13)
While the Palestinians do not budge one inch towards any compramise Israel has crossed every red line and is slowly giving them everything for nothing in return. I can hear the world laughing at us all the way from here.
17. The US *is* releasing terrorists - also for nothing
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (07.31.13)
Barnes claims the US, being a great power, "can afford not to release terrorists", But only this week, it was announced the US will release five Taliban prisoners as a "gesture" to promote talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, an American soldier is still being held captive by that same Taliban. Did it occur to US leaders to at least demand that soldier's release in exchange? Or did they witness how the US presses an ally to give something for nothing and decide they could play the US the same way and likewise get something - those Taliban prisoners - for nothing?
18. #2: There IS a reason for these evil talks
Dan ,   USA   (07.31.13)
The reason for these talks is to create the appearance that Obama is actually doing something. His policies in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Iran have been complete failures. Obama's "vision" for the Middle East has turned into one big disaster, but he knows that he can still create a distraction and get results by kicking the Jews around and by twisting Bibi's arm into conceding more and more. When he says that he "has Israel's back," he means that he is holding a knife to it.
19. 4 Jake
CJK   (07.31.13)
i would be stunned if obama actually did anything about iran. the man is a coward and a liar.
20. This is a Mugging, Not Peace Talks
dave ,   montreal canada   (07.31.13)
This doesn't sound like peace talks; it sounds like a mugging by Abbas, co-ordinated by Kerry & Obama. Netanyahu began by returning terrorists, Abbas begins with Olhmert's proposal to return 94% of the West Bank, and Kerry begins by asking how much financial aid Israel was ready to commit for raising the standard of living of West Bank Palestinians. Each time there is a 'Peace Process', Israel makes concessions, and the Palestinians refuse any peace offer. Mah Nishtanah?!
21. -->3.
Alan Mac ,   Nahariya   (07.31.13)
But it wont be Bibi's last term. He will simply display another fake Hamas campaign and the sheep will suck it up once again. I am beginning to believe Israel actually deserves its end due to its stupidity and corrupt morals.
22. Israel has lost the support of American Jews
KL ,   Prov, U.S.A   (07.31.13)
This egregious act of releasing terrorists is an immoral act that Americans will not accept and will vote with their wallets to not donate money to Israel. Americans are very disillusioned with Netanyahu. We have had terrorists attacks in the U.S. and any President that released terrorists would be impeached. The fervent U.S. support for Israel comes from the Jewish community and not from Obama. Netanyahu has lost the American Jewish community and should not expect significant U.S. money in the future. The Senators and Representatives are also very upset with Netanyahu. Israel lost its biggest supporter if it goes through with this immoral act.
23. "ISRAEL's GLOBAL STATUS"
David ,   New York, NY   (07.31.13)
If Israel is a regional super-power, a judgment that has been accepted by almost all and which was presumed to be true, there are myriad things she should do and must do but surely one of them is NOT to release convicted murderers because of a "deterioration in Israel's global status." If the previous image of "regional super-power" is a MYTH, and that is the implied premise of this op-ed piece, then the need for this PR attempt by a somewhat enfeebled nation is somewhat justified. But both assessments CANNOT simultaneously be true. And either way, history will show that the release of the murderers and the others convicted of somewhat lesser charges will IN NO WAY affect "Israel's global status.".
24. 22 KL
CJK   (07.31.13)
both bush and obama have released terrorists. releasing terrorists is not an impeachable offence.
25. Threats
Sabra ,   Ashdod   (07.31.13)
In other words, Bibi has been psychologically intimidated by Obama and is afraid "world" disapproval. He has been mentally defeated, and that explains the complete collapse of his negotiating positions. Israel must prevent him from conducting these talks and surrendering the country.
26. Ein od milvado
Chanel ,   The Land of Israel   (07.31.13)
You are fatally wrong mr Barnea. We don't desperately need anyone We trust in G-d, the G-d of our fathers whose loving kindness has sustained us to this day and we believe with an eternal and unwavering faith that He will redeem us.
27. 23
CJK   (07.31.13)
israel has released terrorists on numerous occasions. it might be a bad policy, but she has done so. it has nothing to do with her status as a military power.
28. #22, please speak for yourself.
Jeff ,   USA   (07.31.13)
As an American Jew, I do not see it as my place to be second-guessing Israelis on what's best for Israel-- this was clearly a difficult decision for Netanyahu, and it's up to Israelis to decide how to respond to it. You are nothing more than a hot-headed idiot, which there unfortunately seem to be somewhat of an increasing number of nowadays... it is not good for anyone, Israelis or American Jews alike.
29. 26 Echoes of those in the Shoah
Thinking Jew ,   Israel   (07.31.13)
When will you learn that G-d demands action from Israel as His Servant? You have already drowned in your blind fatalism.
30. BB already knows ur reaction: same as Chief Rabbis - nada
Cyberbrain ,   Israel   (07.31.13)
You post big words and do nothing. BB knows he can count on that. You earned and deserve the government you have.
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