5 thoughts on “Hamas Drums Up Interest in Israeli Captives, But Bibi Ain’t Buying – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. Just as the US would never even consider releasing militants from US prisons in exchange for hostages, I don’t think Israel should do so either. I was opposed to the Shalit deal and I would oppose a deal here as well. Nothing to do with race. It makes a mockery of a criminal justice system and released terrorists return to their militancy. I think Bibi was opposed to the Shalit deal until his hand was forced by a well-greased PR machine orchestrated by the Shalit family and their anti-Bibi supporters.
    If a humanitarian release can be obtained in exchange for some symbolic reciprocal gesture, fine. But no release of convicted terrorists.

    1. @ Yehuda: Uh, that’s precisely what the U.S. did. We exchanged five Taliban prisoners for Bowe Berghdahl.

      It has everything to do with race. I could care less whether you feel it has nothing to do with race. You’re not the one making the decision. The thoroughly racist Likud government is.

      These Palestinian “terrorists” are no more or less terrorists than Yitzhak Shamir or Menachem Begin.

      But no release of convicted terrorists.

      BTW, this is not a soccer match or a political rally. We don’t need to hear you shout slogans about what should or shouldn’t happen to these Palestinian prisoners.

  2. “I don’t know which is worse, Hamas acting like souk merchants touting marked-down merchandise they can’t sell; or a racist Israel which has abandoned two of its citizens ”

    How long was Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl ‘abandoned’ to the Taliban by the ‘racist’ United States?

    Answer: 5 years.

    Thirty Americans held hostage overseas? All abandoned by the ‘racist’ United States,.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/23/politics/hostage-policy-review-changes-white-house/

    1. @Bernie X: Bowe Bergdahl was not abandoned by the US military to the Taliban. The US Army sent repeated patrols into Taliban territory to try to find him. In fact, soldiers were killed on this mission. Unlike Israel, we also don’t kill our soldiers once they’re caprured.

      Do not talk about what you do not know.

      America does not abandoned its citizens, especially not because of their ethnicity or color as Israel does. THough in the case of its Palestinian-American citizens it does precious little to support them when they’re caught in the maw of the Israeli immigration/security system, as I’ve documented before.

  3. Legally and morally, there is a difference between “detainees” and those who are convicted (whatever you want to call them– terrorists or freedom fights..).

    Also, Israel did make an exchange involving a minority
    http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.691102

    Although both sides claimed that the prisoners were released because their sentence was completed, clearly there was a deal.

    I understand why you would attribute the current deadlock to racism. It is true that different ethnic groups here have varying social status and ability to apply political levers. I would bet that an American Israeli held captive would also be at a disadvantage, as Anglos here are not a strong political force. (Zachary Baumel comes to mind) This would be true anywhere as a political reality, not just in Israel.

    Also, this story much has to do with the fact they they were mental patients and not soldiers, so they’re not part of the national narrative of “not leaving anybody behind in the battle field”. It’s hard to whip up patriotic rallies in defense of a mental patient who crossed the fence on his own.

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