.jpg){kind=small}
mini.jpg)
I’ll trade you 300 Hamas activists and a Barghouti for a Shalit. The bartering now going on preceding a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas reminds one of teenagers trading baseball cards.
Ynetnews and Haaretz both report negotiations in earnest to free Gilad Shalit. The word is that the lead Palestinian prisoner released will be Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader:
Israel has agreed in principle to release Marwan Barguti and a number of prominent Hamas leaders from prison – diplomatic sources were quoted as saying in Monday’s ‘Al-Bayan’ newspaper, based in the United Arab Emirates.
According to the report, Israel will free Barguti, Fatah’s former secretary-general in the West Bank, and the Hamas officials as part of the burgeoning exchange deal with the Islamist Hamas group in return for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit…
Israel has given its consent, in principle, to the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners, including Hamas leaders Hassan Salame, Abdullah Barguti and Ibrahim Hamed.
The report said Israel was still on the fence on whether it is willing to release the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmad Saadat – who was convicted and sentenced for his involvement in the murder of the late Minister Rehavam Ze’evi.
Which would be very interesting since it would mean that Hamas, which is leading negotiations for the Palestinian side, is attempting to liberate an Israeli prisoner who could possibly become its political nemesis during the next round of presidential elections.
Should Israel free Saadat it should be terribly embarrassing for the Olmert government and IDF, since a year or so ago they orchestrated a Jericho prison “break-in” that “liberated” (or “kidnapped” depending on your perspective) Saadat from a Palestinian prison in order to spirit him to an Israeli prison so as to ensure he would not be freed. If they free him I’ll be only too happy to republish the photos of Israel demolishing the Palestinian prison to ensure the dangerous criminal never saw the light of day.
I’m also delighted to report that Jimmy Carter has been playing an interesting intermediary role in persuading Israeli politicians to include Hamas prisoners in the exchange. This will no doubt drive some anti-Carter Jewish activists to distraction since they view the former president as an arch-enemy of the State of Israel.
Tags: gilad-shalit, jimmy-carter
@SShlomo Glickstein:
For you to know what Tariq Ramadan’s father taught him you either would’ve had to have been a member of his family or a learned expert on the ideas of both father & son. Are you either? I thought not.
Actually, I’m in favor of European countries allowing entry to IDF generals wanted for war crimes so they can be charged for those acts. I was also in favor of Britain denying entry to Moshe Feiglin because he is a direct descendant of Meir Kahane though more powerful as a senior leader of Likud.
When you can prove that Ramadan’s views are as racist & hateful toward Jews or anyone else as Feiglin’s views are towards Arabs, then I’d consider endorsing the former’s exclusion fr. European countries.
Yr argument is interesting because now that you’ve discovered there aren’t any European countries which have excluded him as you erroneously claimed, you’ve switched gears. Now yr claim is that they WOULD HAVE been justified in excluding him based on alleged beliefs of his father or grandfather. And in addition, you’re attempting to take me to task because I don’t oppose excluding Israeli fascists to European countries.
Again, you’re hallucinating. I never said anything about yr claim that Arafat was corrupt. I have no doubt he was. Though it’s interesting that his corruption seems to offend you much more deeply than corruption of Israeli politicians like Olmert, Sharon, etc.
We have been discussing his not being allowed in the US at present I already addressed the European situation you wanted to “switch gears” back to that so you could beat your chest a bit – you like doing that.
Interesting??? You agreed to have Feiglin not be admitted to countries…? due to his association with Kahane and things he has said? Funny how the ACLU Civil Liberties are selectively applied? Yet you were all for an out and out fascist religious dictator speaking at Columbia… the ever switching standards or hypocrisy… but not to divert off course here.
Arafat was welcomed into these countries… and he not only talked about and promoted violence and terrorism he actually directed it for decades ever prior to Oslo.
So teaching kids to engage in violent murder and promoting it isn’t so bad when compared to Feiglin?? Verrrrry interesting.
Further notably Arafat was reported to have said by Egyptian intelligence when asked about a parapalegic Jew on the hijacked Achille Lauro –
Ahhh, yes but Feiglin really gets the hairs on your chest in a self righteous frenzy.
Back to Ramadan here are a few quotes from the article posted at the Weekly Standard -
First a small background on his dad –
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/800naxnt.asp
Ok now now directly to Tariq -
Ramadan quotes after 9/11 of course asked “who profited from this” and it continues -
They were “interventions”. The writer then details that Ramadan strongly favors eliminating the State of Israel… but not at all fascist belief like Feiglin
Most important quote at the end -
“When an interviewer from the weekly L’Express asked Fourest how she could be so sure that Ramadan was indeed the “political heir of his grandfather,” Hassan al-Banna, here’s how she replied:”
A moderate Muslim is then quoted -
So not even is there not a concern with Mr. Silverstein he is fact a kvelling cheerleader of sorts of this man while admitting he’d approve a ban of Feiglin for the same standards.
Further, anyone who would disagree must be a fascist
@Shlomo Glickstein:
“Fascist?” Could you provide an iota of proof to show that Ahmadinejad is a fascist? Dictator? He was elected, hence not a dictator. In the next elections undoubtedly he will be defeated. Further proof he is no dictator. And yes, I was glad he had an opportunity to speak at Columbia & glad the university president & others stood their ground in criticizing him for his views.
“Reported to have said?” Ah, again we have a little problem w. lack of sources. Who reported this or did you actually hear the intelligence agent w. yr own ears?
Wow, the right wing Weekly Standard has published unflattering things about the Ramadan family! I’m simply shocked. I must entirely renounce my former support for Tariq Ramadan now that you have provided such non partisan & incontrovertible proof of his absolute perfidy. Puh-leeze!
Now I know the entire Weekly Standard critique is bullshit unless you’re mischaracterizing what was written there (which knowing you, is entirely possible). Ramadan does not favor eliminating the state of Israel. He has never said it. He doesn’t believe it. This statement is a bald faced lie. I dare you to provide a scintilla of evidence. And I mean statements in the man’s own words & not the distortions of partisan hacks who are only to happy to put words in Ramadan’s mouth.
I note that the critics of Ramadan you quote almost never provide any proof of their claims based on Ramadan’s actual writing. They merely make claims based on their own evaluation of the evidence. This is entirely unacceptable in this debate. THis is a perfect example;
**
I always trust political characterizations made by people like you. This person is a “moderate” Muslim? Says who? Don’t you mean he’s a “good” Muslim, as opposed to all those “bad” Muslims like Ramadan??
PLEASE NOTE: You will no longer be permitted to publish more than a single extended comment per day here. I have many other commenters & like to repsond to all of them. I simply don’t have time to respond to multiple questions of yours in a single day. And I simply have no patience for comments that run into the hundreds of words. No one reads them & I don’t know why people bother. Make yr argument. Make it short and sweet. If you have to ramble then you’re abusing the privilege.
No, I didn’t say that. I said Feiglin is a fascist. If he’s not, prove it.
Well aWell a writer from Haaretz says something so that is true??? However, this writer quotes a leader or an anti-racism organization in France who has know Ramadan for years and also happens to be Arab and Muslim who deeply believes he is an expert at double talk and actually calls him a fascist… as well as a writer who has voraciously studied all of Mr. Ramadan’s writings, speeches etc.. over a longer period of time and has concluded that he is in fact a fascist and is right in line with the Muslim Brotherhood thinking of his father and grandfather… and your response is -
I don’t believe it prove it!!
LOL…. yes, but an open ended quote about Sharon and Arafat and you countenance that Sharon killed Arafat….
If someone who has extensively studied Ramadan writes a book adn is interviewed for an article as well as an Arab Muslim leader in France.. whom you don’t happen to know welll then you simply don’t believe it bcs it doesn’t meet your belieft sets or wants… not only that you don’t even countenance that it provides details that are worrisome… and the fact that it was published in the Weekly Standard well then iyou can somehow relieve yourself of any moral complications or grey areas… that may make you uncomfortalble… the most amazing thing you said is you don’t believe that he doesn’t want the State of Israel one way or thte other not to exist.. I know many Egyptians who are nice people and friends with many American Jews who admit that they want in their hearts although they may not live to see the day when the mistake of Israel is no longer there… yet a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood the grandson of Banna you don’t even countenance that he wants teh state of Israel not to exist… (and that’s not even in the top 10 of the worrisome belief sets put forth in the article)
Who’s got the rose colored blinders on?
…
The comment about Ahmadinejad not being a fascist dictator and being freely and fairly elected is so telling about whom I’m speaking to I won’t even address that… but please don’t take that comment down it’s quite a telling comment on your part. It’s amazing actually!
@Shlomo Glickstein:
A damn sight more likely to be true than anything you say, that’s for sure.
Not quite. My response was that the sources you quoted didn’t provide real evidence for their claim other than their own unsupported personal opinion. In cases like this personal opinion that is not backed by evidence has very little weight I’m afraid.
Unlike you, most of us judge what we read by lots of criteria–one of which is the ideological perspective of the publication. The Weekly Standard being a neocon friendly publication I have a certain level of mistrust of what it writes unless it is backed by sources & evidence.
Tariq Ramadan is NOT a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Are you being sloppy or were you really trying to get that little tidbit of egregiously false propaganda sail through??
As for yr claim that he supports the elimination of the state of Israel, I’m still waiting for any proof whatsoever that he really believes that. So far I hear none (& there is none). Which either means you know squat about Ramadan’s views; or you simply can’t be bothered to find & research them at his website.
Subject: Fatah Refugees Refused Asylem By Zionists.
I heard the following report and would like some comments:
I received a phone call tonite from a friend in Gaza. He is a member of the FATAH and has participated in heroic actions against Zionist Occupiers and says that FATAH will never rest until Israel is destroyed , the Jews are driven out and all land is returned to a democratic Palestinian government
My friend tessl me that 150 armed FATAH men were arrested early this mornining by Hamas guys.
They were loaded on Hamas trucks and driven to the Gaza Israeli Border where at gunpoint, they were marched into Israel.
Five where shot dead by IDF soldiers. The Israelis have herded off the rest into tightly packed cells where they are denied food, water and are being beaten in a savage manner.
Some are badly injured but ar being denied admission to Israeli Hospitals.
My friend is appealing to all who are familiar with Zionist brutality to contact Congressmen, The Clintons, the Obamas and sound a humanitarian plea for help.Immediate action is needed .
Thank you.
Harry B.
@Shlomo Glickstein: I’m still waiting for any proof that Ahmadinejad is a fascist dictator. Unlike you, I value the meaning of words & when they’re used I believe they should be used properly.
And I’m getting f’ing tired of yr snark. I’ve already banned 2 people tonight (one left–one right) & you’re not far fr. being the 3rd.
@Harry B: I don’t know what it is about commenters at this blog tonight, but some strange things are going on (is the moon full?). While I rarely ban people from commenting here I’ve done so three times tonight (one said I hated Jews, one called me an anti-Zionist & one told another commenter to “drown”). Sheesh, anyone heard any good jokes lately? I need one.
Now, I have a case that has only happened here one other time in which a commenter created sock puppets voicing 2 diametrically opposite pts of view about the I-P conflict. I don’t know what such people are up to–whether they’re trying to pull a hoax at my expense, whether there’s a screw loose somewhere, etc.
Anyway, the latest is Harry B. publishing as a supposed anti-Zionist, while someone named Dennis Cook published using the same e mail & IP addresses. Here’s a sample of Dennis Cook, the militant Islamophobe:
BTW, there’s virtually nothing truthful or accurate about Harry B’s comment above regarding the Fatah fighters who received sanctuary in Israel. A load of drivel…Harry B/Dennis Cook have now been banned fr. commenting for violating comment rules. It appears that our schizoid commenter’s real name (though who knows?) may be Alan Bernson.