Actually, its not the Israeli government deciding Gilad's fate, since ultimately, Hamas decides what will happen to Gilad.Netanyahu's strategic cabinet of 7 is currently taking a lunch break from a marathon of sessions over the past 24 hours dealing with the proposed Hamas-Shalit prisoner release deal. Galei Tzahal, IDF radio reports that PM Netanyahu is currently against the release and return to their homes in the West Bank of senior Palestinian terrorists who ruthlessly and intentionally killed (and masterminded the killings) of dozens of Jews -- including civilian men, women, and children and infants.
Reportedly (again, according to IDF Radio), 3 ministers are in favor of the deal; Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Labor), Eli Yishai (Shas) and Dan Meridor (Likud).
Against the deal are Avigdor Leiberman (Yisrael Beiteinu), Benny Beigin (Likud) and Moshe "Bogie" Yaalon (Likud).
Shalit's parents met with PM Netanyu minutes ago -- as he wanted to hear what they had to say.
This decision is without a doubt, one of the most difficult decisions a government can make. PM Netanyahu was asked a few years ago (before he was the current PM) "Knowing your published opinion of not negotiating and releasing terrorists, what would you do if it were your son who was kidnapped as an IDF soldier?"
Netanyahu answered: "As a parent, I would do all possible for my son to be returned. as the Prime Minister, I would relinquish the responsibility for making this decision to an unbiased party, someone else in the government."
Chances are, if the senior terrorists are released (Marwan Barghouti and Fuad Shubaki), we'll see a rise in terror again, and more Jews; IDF soldiers and civilians will be killed.
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17 comments:
why would hamas want bargouti and shubaki anyway? they're both fatah guys. hamas should be scared to death of barghouti. that photo of him in prison orange with hands raised in trimph is as good as gold. i bet it's our guys, under the table, INSISTING they take barghouti as part of any deal.
and, as far as your worries about jewish blood shed if they are released, these guys are beaurocrats, politicians- easy to keep track of. i'd be more worried about all the little fishies, the ones who killed jews with their own hands- and would again in a heartbeat.
personally i think we should let barghouti out into the snakepit. but not the little bloodthirsty guys who could disappear under the radar and reappear with a belt or a kaltchnikov.
Jonathan: Barghouti is far from a politician. He personally planned and oversaw the shooting attack on highway 60 -- which killed R' Binyamin Kahana, his wife...as well as 33 other terror attacks against Israelies.
He should rot in hell. Actually, we should have killed him when we had the chance to prevent him ever being released.
Everyone says the choice is either trade terrorists for Shalit or let him die. Why does everyone ignore the best choice? We should go in like any civilized nation would and take him back.
Seth: If Ehud Barak had a fraction of the initiative that he has to crush the settler building -- we would have returned Shalit ages ago.
yes, i also think barghouti should rot in hell. that's why i think he should be released into the snakepit, where he would be open to "termination with extreme prejudice". not stam, but for shalit's release. and who knows, maybe prison put the fear of god into him (meaning our god)...if you know what i mean.
"personally oversaw" has some fairly wide interpretations, as tzippi livni just found out.
"If Ehud Barak had a fraction of the initiative that he has to crush the settler building -- we would have returned Shalit ages ago.: -jameel
you're talking about one of israel's (and therefore the world's) elite warriors. he may be a complete asshole, but fear is not his problem. hubris and the love of fame and power are.
"Barghouti is far from a politician." -jameel
i can't believe you even said that. if you don't think he's a politician now, just wait till he's released. he is israel's annointed for the leadership of the p.a., mark my words. jewish blood on his hands and all.
Hamas getting Bargouti out would make Abbas (and Fatah) look really pathetic in the eyes of "Palestinians".
as far as the murder of the younger kahana, you have a source for that? i thought the killers were never caught and the fact that it happened to be the son of r. kahana was purely coincidence. there were a lot of random shootings on the roads at that time, i know, i live 15 min. down the road from where it happened. i never heard that they were organized by a central authority, but rather small unconnected cells. please enlighten me.
@joe- yeah, but who would he go work for? not hamas.
Jbecker: Official indictment against Barghouti. item 2 -- murder of the Kahanes.
If Barak is such an amazing warrior, why is he:
1. Picking on the settlers.
2. not going into Gaza to rescue Shalit?
This deal should only be done if the following things happen.
1)As soon as any terrorists are free we resume targeted assassinations immediately, that would keep them prisoners in their own homes.
2)Israel puts the death penalty in effect for any terrorist that threatens Jews and the state of Israel.
This must stop where we put murderers back on the streets!!
> not going into Gaza to rescue Shalit?
this is where a little humility comes in handy. we simply don't know. shalit may be in egypt already, who knows? baraks reasons for not going in are certainly tied up with his powermadness, among many other factors, including the possibility that we don't exactly know where he is (gosh, politics is so complicated!) but i can assure you- it's not about his personal courage. he's made his calcualations according to what's best for him, that's it. i didn't say he wasn't a scumbag, i just said he's fearless, fwiw.
underestimating the enemy is a common mistake in this country. not to mention identifying the enemy. you, jameel, of all people do not strike me as naive. don't be petty.
btw your link to the barghouti inictment- marwan is not mentioned in connection with the kahane murders, rather "achmed". fwiw. and that's just an indictment. i don't want to get into defending barghouti- he's obviously scum of the earth. but if israel wants to instate him as a leader of the pals, that's what's going to happen. mark my words. do you really think he could be any worse than their current leaders? at least he doesn't deny the holocaust, like abbas. go on, let him try. if he screws up, he's dead anyway. you couldn't pay me enough to take the position our gov't. has in mind for him.
Jameel- did you always feel this way about Barak (when he was leading the army, for example?)
דברים שרואים משם לא רואים מכאן.
It is possible that the government knows where Shalit is and is letting him rot there for the hell of it. But it is also possible (and more likely) that there is a reason why we have not gone in to get him. We do not know or we do know and cannot get him out without killing him or something along those lines.
I mean, I see pretty much EVERYONE in government, save perhaps Begin, as self-serving, self-interested and corrupt. Nonetheless, considering that we had approximately a gazillion soldiers in Gaza a year ago and we did not get him out, to my eyes it is possible that there is a reason.
Besides, regarding Barak--what reason would he have NOT to get him out using force if he could? That would be a major feather in his cap.
This is the most heart breaking decision. Saving 1 deserving person, and potentially putting others in danger in the future.
But, what a morale boost to the country and tzahal to have Gilad back, finally a happy ending to one of these stories.
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