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Don’t capitulate this time

Israel must not release more than one terrorist in exchange for Shalit

We’ve been hearing two dangerous messages being conveyed by the Israeli government as of late: Willingness to continue negotiations on the Shalit deal from the point reached by former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and ministers who demand to release murderer Marwan Barghouti. Shalit and Barghouti can be linked.

 

In the past, Israel has shown willingness to pay inflated prices in order to secure the release of captives. The record still standing at this time was set in the Jibril deal: The release of more than 1,000 convicted terrorists. Many of them went back to the various terror groups of the Palestinian terror authority, took part in the Intifada, and were responsible for quite a few of its victims.

 

The number of Israeli casualties in that war is similar to the number of Arab terrorists released in the dubious deal. Yet at this time we are again looking at a similar deal being formulated for Shalit’s release. As opposed to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s well-known and logical formula – they’ll get something if they give something – it appears that at this time he leans towards a dangerous formula: They’ll get something if they kidnap someone.

 

Israel always possessed great sensitivity for the fate of captives and abductees. The result: An unbalanced formula whereby hundreds and thousands of people are freed in exchange for a few, and at times even in exchange for bodies or signs of life. This sensitivity boosted the price required of Israel. The media chatter and eagerness to deal with any hint of a rumor in respect to a possible deal helps the enemy boost its demands.

 

The media and public pressure prepare Israel’s public opinion to show more flexible standards so that murderers “with blood on their hands” will be freed en masse. The prices Israel is willing to pay include humiliating the Israeli legal system, by pardoning convicted murderers. In fact, they know this in advance, even before committing their murders.

 

Resort-like prisons 

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli willingness to pay inflated price even in exchange for bodies constitutes not only an incentive for further abductions, but also for the murder of abductees. When the kidnappers are aware of the Israeli eagerness to pay any ransom, they can afford to make it easier for themselves and murder the captives. And so, Israeli policy increases the danger to the life of abductees.

 

All of the above requires Israel to modify the manner in which it handles abductions and abductors. It’s unthinkable that terrorists in Israel jails enjoy resort-like conditions, studies, family visits, phones, and other terms that are deprived from our captives; there is no conditioning or reciprocity on this front whatsoever. There is no sense in granting such imprisonment conditions to convicted terrorists. And so, for example, family and Red Cross visits at Israeli jails must be curbed at once.

 

The record-breaker in this context is the murderer Barghouti. It is precisely the great interest shown by the enemy in securing Barghouti’s release that can be used as a lever to change the discriminatory formula.

 

Until now, Barghouti enjoyed VIP terms at prison: Visits by relatives, journalists, Arab Knesset members and others, while he manages political activity from prison. Israel allows the “pretend-jail” situation to go on while the prisoner constitutes an important and influential element within the enemy’s political system. And so, for example, from his jail cell – and in coordination with detainees in other jails – Barghouti drafted in the past the so-called “prisoner’s document,” and today he is a Palestinian leadership candidate.

 

If Israel is willing to disgrace its own legal establishment in any case and release a convicted murderer, and if Barghouti is so important to terror groups, the latter should go ahead and make do with a formula calling for the release of Barghouti, without hundreds of other murderers, in exchange for Gilad Shalit. Should these organizations reject such deal, Barghouti and his colleagues shall be held in a real prison, at least until Gilad Shalit returns to his family. No longer will they be getting something if they kidnap someone.

 

Dr. Ron Breiman is the former chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.31.09, 11:41
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