To fully appreciate the insanity of today's cabinet decision in favor of releasing killers for two Israeli captives, note that Israel admits that it does not really know if the captives are alive or dead. News flash for the brain dead: if they were alive this morning, they are dead now.
If they are returned dead, Kuntar should be returned the same way. (HT for link to zalman)
posted by Ben at 10:09 PM
8 Comments:
The "decision process" was strikingly similar to the "peacemaking" process -- a complete lack of leadership (or worse): an obsessive desire to seize any available alternative to put an end to the current situation (at all costs); Olmert actually said we are too far down the road, we have to finish what we started (so why make a rational decision now); it was frequently reported that the price to be paid would not improve (without any analysis of the price today); fine distinctions like: Kuntar is a child killer, not a terrorist.
Is is painful to listen.
Here is the NY Times coverage:
“Israel’s government voted on Sunday to trade one of the most notorious convicts in its prisons, a Lebanese murderer, for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers …
Kuntar was part of a cell that raided Nahariya, shooting dead Danny Haran while his daughter Einat, 4, watched, then smashing the girl’s head, killing her as well. Haran’s wife, Smadar, hid with their 2-year-old daughter and accidentally suffocated her to death in an effort to stop her from crying out.
Mr. Kuntar has said he regrets nothing and will receive a hero’s welcome when he returns…”
From the Israeli media’s coverage of Kuntar, you’d think that really, really, he should not be imprisoned anymore.
Our country that we love is actively suicidal.If we o not intervene immediately we will go drown with the ship.
The vote was 22 to 3.
Are there any sane people left in government.?
This reminds me of Schroder's Cat problem. The real problem is Gilad Shalit(!). Do you think Hamas will keep him alive? This government is soooo stupid!
I wish someone would explain to me why the so-called "government" didn't demand proof the soldiers were still alive before agreeing even to talk about releasing any live prisoners.
No doubt Yossi Beilin, Haim Oron and other friends of Marwan Barghouti will now ask their Palestinian friends to pass on the message to HAMAS to demand that he be released as well, since Ha'aretz and the rest of the Leftist bandwagon has already declared that "no price is too high to pay" and they, with Olmert's quiet agreement, will organize more demonstrations demanding that more concessions be made (one of Barghouti's victims was a girl who had belonged to my synagogue).
Why doesn't anyone ask about the blood on the hands of Olmert, Halutz and Peretz who sent people to die in a war which was expressly carried out in order to show that "Israel will not bow to terrorists and will use force to bring the soldiers back home". What was the purpose of the war since the "gov't" capitulated in the end anyway? Why did 160+ people die in that war anyway, not to mention the damage the rocket barrages caused? For what? Why is there no demand for accountability from this gang that is in power?
Yesterday, Orit Struck of the YESHA Human Rights organization spoke in my town about the successful struggle to bring the violent police of Amona and other demostrations to justice. My town was once known for having a large number of pro-YESHA activists. The appearance was in memory of a well-known saintly women. ONLY 20-some people showed up! It seems that everyone has thrown in the towel. WE ARE LETTING THEM DO THIS TO US.
BenChorin: The negotiations were carried out over 2 years. Why do you think suddenly everything changed -- the new "realization" that the 2 soldiers were dead?
While I favor the decision, I don't have a problem with killing Kuntar either before giving him to Nasrallah.
Just one small comment to bar_kochba132: Yosi Beilin actually came out against the decision, and publicly stated his opinion that only dead shoudl be traded for the dead.
Yes the 2 soldiers are probably dead. But the point is that nobody on our side knows that for sure. Let's be clear, this is not a deal to get bodies, this is a deal to end a hostage situation in which two families have to live with not knowing whether their family member is dead or alive or whether they will ever see them again.
At the same time, I hope the IDF finds a way to "re-kidnap" Kuntar shortly after he is freed, in the case that Regev and Goldwasser are in fact dead. (And especially if it is revealed that they died recently.) Kuntar will not take the security measures that Nasrallah for example does, so finding him should be easy.
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