Opinion
No comfort in revenge
Robi Damelin
Published: 18.10.11, 23:38
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38 Talkbacks for this article
1. What about the victims their familes & future victims?
Chaim ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
There is no polite way of putting this. The author's reasoning is insane. Following her thought process, why build jails at all? Why not have all criminals run free and pay no price for even the most heinous crimes? What about the victims of these mass murderers, their families and their future victims?
2. Shaming and blaming
Malka Melbourne ,   Australia   (10.19.11)
We have to stop looking for scapegoats. It is up to us 'the Jewish people' to fast and pray that G-d should take care of the 1,027 palestinians released. We don't hold a remote, there is a mess left over from the Oslo accords and anyone in the seat of the PM finds themselves in a difficult position. It is up to us ....
3. Countries can not afford to have emotions
Benny Sudakov ,   Los Angeles, Israel   (10.19.11)
It is perfectly OK for single person like Damelin think whatever she wants about this deal. It is total disaster when the country based important security decisions only on emotions. That is why most of the normal countries in the world do not negotiated with terrorists. I wounder what kind of words Damelin has for parents of soldiers which will be kidnap in the future because of such deal?
4. Well, at least Robi got what she deserved.
sk ,   USA   (10.19.11)
"We have discovered in the Parents Circle – Families Forum, both the Palestinian and Israeli members who have lost immediate family members..." In other words, this hard leftist has joined with the Muslim enemy. In truth, I'm sorry that Shalit returns to his leftist family. They, too, deserved the consequences of their leftism. However, I'll be fair here: the Israeli political stratum regularly releases killers under various pretexts (e.g., "confidence building measures"), so at least a life was saved, rather than only death being created when the Amalekites return to kill more Jews. As for the Israeli political stratum (I.e., the political elite), well, they don't care about Jewish life, for they are "Israeli," and care only about themselves. These "leaders" want to keep Israel in a state of war to keep their power. See Orwell (1984) for details.
5. Save one or harm many?
Merrill ,   New York   (10.19.11)
Just thinking for one second that my son could be sitting in a dark room, for years, gives me an enormous amount of pain. That said, however, when Israel exchanges 1,000 convicted Palestinian terrorists back into public, it puts an enormous number of lives in danger. And that is simply irresponsible.
6. Inspirational
Ittay ,   Australia   (10.19.11)
Robi's words are inspirational. Together with her Palestinians colleagues in the Bereaved families forum, they are promoting a way of responding to grief that is non-violent and in favour of non-military solutions to the conflict. In an ideal world, may there be no more causalities in this conflict that has endured for far too long. But if there must be casualties, let us not use the deaths of our loved ones for revenge and focus our efforts instead in obtaining justice.
7. Reserve Lieutenant David Damelin...
Vlad   (10.19.11)
Was killed by Palestinian sniper Thaer Hamad, who is being set free as part of the Shalit deal.
8. The dead seek justice ! "Is this justice" ?
Roland Seener ,   London England   (10.19.11)
9. Insane Thinking
Dan ,   USA   (10.19.11)
It is just this type of thinking that will enable the arabs to overrun Israel one day, maybe without firing a shot.
10. Good for you Mrs Damelin
Rachel   (10.19.11)
I think it's wonderful you are so kind and forgiving. You are to be commended for your benvolence and empathy for others. But I also think it's time you realize the true vicious, ugly reality of Israel's enemies unpleasant as this maybe. And sadly Israeli families in the Parents Circle do not either out of naivete,or they refuse to because reality is to painful to accept. All of the Palestinian groups,and sadly most Palestinian civilians do not recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish nation,and most of them. In fact, I would say the overwhelming majority of them would have supported the killing of your son,given the fact that the majority of them support attacks on all Israeli civilians, including infants and small children. This is not just me saying this the Palestinians own polls have shown this to be the case time and time again over the years.
11. A very simple minded argument
Sam   (10.19.11)
Equating justice with revenge is simple minded. If prison doesn't serve a purpose then no one should be arrested. The entire system is useless. Keeping a convicted murderer is not simply a matter of revenge. Revenge would be a mandatory death penalty which Israel has not done to date. Of course opinions like Robi's are the most potent argument for killing murderers since our justice system fails society and the victims by releasing unrepentant killers. There is no parallel with the Irish either. This wasn't an prelude to a comprehensive peace and why the Irish example is better than the Nuremberg or the ICJ trials after the Balkan wars is unclear. Letting go people who guilty of crimes against humanity demeans human life. If life is sacred then killers should be punished.
12. You are out of reality
Patrick   (10.19.11)
I do respect you pain, I support the Shalit deal, my heart goes out to the bereaved israeli families but I no that the palestinian mothers don't bother preventing their kids since a very young age to be taught a deep hatred of the jews.
13. Mrs Damelin, it's never about Revenge
mary of Bethany ,   singapore   (10.19.11)
Mrs Damelin, with due repect, i laud you for your grace and extend of friendship event to the palestinian mothers. But it never about REVENGE, but justice and righteousness. It never about fear mongers, but protecting our sons and daughters. it never about YOU OR YOUR SONS... nor is it just about the victims families only. it about NOT allowing more families to experiencing what you and many victim families went thru'.
14. #1 why live in Israel at all?
noa ,   israel   (10.19.11)
Just living in Israel guarantees that one of us may be a future victim, aside from freeing these prisoners. Hamas did not stop planning bombings because these people were in prison. There is no shortage of people to do this. We are Jews; we are a family. The army was once made to crawl in the desert sand to retrieve every single trace of human bodies of soldiers that were killed, and they themselves risked their lives to do it. Gilad was alive, would you sacrifice him for the theoretical safety of us all?
15. #3 Israel is not just a country.
noa ,   israel   (10.19.11)
Israel is the land of the Jewish people, a people, and foremost, a family.
16. she lost more then just her son
jerry ,   israel   (10.19.11)
she lost more then just her son. looks like she lost all common sense, reading this sentimental drivel. i want to know if she would be against the prisioner swap is she knew that one of those released prisoners would kill one of her other children
17. # 4
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
What a very cruel person you are. No parent ''deserves'' to loose their child.
18. Birdi #17 I disagree
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (10.19.11)
Every parent that raised their kid to be a fascist and racist deserves to lose that offspring. The parents of Rachel Corrie certainly deserved it and the parents of Arab terrorists sure as hell deserve it.
19. To Robi
solomon ,   bklyn   (10.19.11)
I understand your feelings, but some of these posts make a good point; that the arab children are taught to hate Jews. They kill defenseless civilians. I have not seen many arab parents protest this until there own child is killed, and even then, not very often. But I encourage you to stay with the Parents Circle – Families Forum. I do not see it as helping in a major way now, but I do see it helping in a major way should there be peace, real peace, some day.
20. The issue is not revenge
BH ,   Iowa   (10.19.11)
Terrorists must be eliminated in order to protect society. To not eliminate one murderer can doom many innocents.
21. #6 Ittay, I agree very much with you
Ben Alofs ,   Bangor, UK   (10.19.11)
Thanks for this post.
22. #18 Gee, the judge and executioner...
Ben Alofs ,   Bangor, UK   (10.19.11)
who determines who is a fascist and who is a racist. I have my differences with Birdi, but I have respect for him/her. Birdi was correct in pointing out the cruelty of sk #4 with whom you obviously agree. That says a lot about you and I'm afraid it isn't flattering. I am done with you.
23. So I'm cruel, Ben Alofs & Birdi?
sk ,   USA   (10.19.11)
Maybe I'm just a Jew who takes principles of Torah into consideration regarding right and wrong? Robi works with, and therefore helps validate, a few parents of killers ("Palestinians") who in fact urge their own offspring to kill Jews. This kind of group is a PR front to portray the parents of "Palestinians" killed in the process of trying to kill Jews favorably. This group is supposed as well to imply that there is no terrorist and no victim, no initiator and no responder, because "on both sides" there is death. This is complete malarkey. Even a modest familiarity with Torah would clarify that Jewish parents should never, and I mean never, do what they do. For truly, "all who are made to be compassionate in the place of the cruel in the end are made to be cruel in the place of the compassionate." (Kohelet Raba, 7:16). Who, really then, is being cruel?
24. # 18
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
Gee, your posts are the ones I usually read first & 99% of the time I agree with them. I happen to know Robi Damelin & she is not a fascist or anything else you may want to label her with. Not all Arabs in our midst are terrorists & for sure not all Arabs raise their kids to hate & kill us Jews. Robi is dealing with those who are against terror & she is doing a fine job.
25. # 23
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
Robi Damelin's organization works with both Israel & Palestinian victims of TERROR not victims of killers. There is a huge difference in the 2 words. I stick by what I said above, no parent should have to bury their child.
26. # 22
(Mrs) Birdi ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
Thanks Ben.
27. #14. Ransoming citizens is an insane policy.
Chaim ,   Israel   (10.19.11)
#14. There is a reason why no other nation would even consider a Shalit type deal. It is insane. It guarantees many more victims. Even now, our genocidal terrorist enemies are planning more kidnappings- because they're so thrilled with the results of the Shalit crime. Ransoming citizens is an insane policy. Rescue our citizens, pound our enemies till they're released, shut off all food, water and electricity to our enemies... but we must forever end the insane policy of ransoming our citizens.
28. Oh please, Birdi (#23)
sk ,   USA   (10.19.11)
Robi tells us: "We must find a way to achieve reconciliation, with the deep realization that "No man is free, until all men are free.” Without acknowledging the rights of each other we will become victims of those doom and gloom voices I hear on the radio." (1) Now what do you think this "freedom" for the "Palestinians" consists of? It consists, of course, of the "freedom" to take over Israel. This is Robi's cause. (2) How can you not see that the very nature of this group casts Jews and "Palestinians" as equally damaged by this "killing," thus obscuring the reality that the killers are on one side, the evil side, the Muslim side. The very nature of this group means that it is anti-Jewish, no matter WHAT the particular Muslim and Jewish parents happen to think. But don't kid yourself: there is overwhelming evidence that these Muslim parents fully support jihad and celebrate the loss of their offspring in this effort. (3) Leaving all of these considerations aside, anyone who advocates empowering the enemy--which is what a prisoner exchange this imbalanced does--is being terribly cruel to all Jews, including those who have lost loved ones before, and those who will lose them. Robi is a supporter of these kinds of exchanges. (4) I have been told that in response to Shalit, there is now an "unofficial" policy that soldiers who are in the process of being taken hostage are now to be killed along with their hostage takers, if the latter cannot be killed without the soldier being killed. Nice, huh? (5) I repeat what I said at first: GIVEN that Israel's political leaders, for their own political and personal reasons, will be giving killers their freedom again and again, I am less passionate about this particular exchange. It might be regardless of hostage taking, your rulers will do exactly the same thing. That's why I'm not as frantic about this particular move. But then, I happen to have the lowest possible opinion of your rulers, and of the Israelis who tolerate such rulers.
29. An open question to the Forum
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (10.19.11)
If even one of the 1,027 terrorists released either blows him or herself up on an Israeli bus or inspires someone else to do it, will it have been worth it to pay such a high price for the return of Gilad Shalit?
30. # 28
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.20.11)
In answer to your # 4 paragraph, you have been greatly misinformed. As for the rest of your post,your babbling wont change my opinions.
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