When I was first learning about life in Israel, over forty years ago, people talked about how one is expected to bargain. Never pay the first price offered. Pay as little as possible. Walk away from the shop, and they'll call you back with a better and yet better price. It was quite a switch from the very "proper" and inflexible America in the mid-1960's.
Israelis seem to have lost the knack. They're (we're) playing all these negotiations like total patsies, total fools.
We've given away our precious Land for nothing--Disengagement or a smile and Nobel Peace Prize--Menachem Begin's Camp David.
Instead of simply refusing all aid to our enemies and Red Cross visits to the terrorist/enemy Arabs we've captured until our soldiers are returned--alive or dead, we keep offering to free more and more terrorists.
Gilad Shalit's family are media darlings like the religious parents of our soldiers captured in Lebanon could never be.
Yes, Gilad Shalit must be freed, must be returned home to Israel, but what happened to the master Israeli bargainers of old? Maybe we should send one of the veteran stall owners from Machene Yehuda to negotiate. I'm sure he wouldn't do any worse than our politicians, diplomats and media have done.
4 comments:
No!
Simply because we are next in line.
In Hebrew: http://news.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleId=618040&ServiceID=126
josh, my computer wouldn't open the link. Could you please explain?
Batya,
I am with you on this, I actually made a similar argument.
I think the most important thing to keep in mind is not only the families' victims of terror who are effected by swapping terrorists for Gilad, but also the POTENTIAL new victims that such a deal would make.
Hundreds or thousands of Jews could murdered later in order to release one captured soldier now.
I think it's foolish, and is only good for two people--Gilad himself and Ehud Olmert.
Olmert feels that if he can get a release organized prior to his final departure, public opinion will be merciful on him in the corription probe/trial. It's a big sham.
I want him released to--his imprisonment by Hamas tears my heart--but his release must come in Jewish strength, not cowering weakness.
thanks, comrade, amen on that
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