Even my son’s first grade class made a card that said “WELCOME HOME”. In the ever-critical-of-Israel-SDMB, I’m still a little surprised what should be a celebration (however nuanced) is becoming another ‘bash Israel’ thread.
Baruch HaShem, the kid is actually home. It was a month or so ago most of us doubted he was alive.
Does Israel have any “political prisoners”?
I don’t see why people are so shocked that the Palestinians being released have committed murder and acts that most consider terrorism.
What do people think one has to do to get a lengthy prison sentence in Israel. The answer is quite a bit more than simply throwing rocks at soldiers.
Israel is releasing at least 10 mass murderers, letting them rejoin their colleagues where they are likely to return to their previous profession of murdering innocent people. You don’t have to hate Israel to think that’s too high a price to rescue one man.
No offense, but why should the SDMB be happy that several hundred murderers are now loose on the street of Palestine (or, more likely, drunk off their asses at local Hamas block parties)?
I’m glad that this 19 year old innocent kid is alive, but to expect some sort of pat on the back for getting him back (at a terrible cost) is mystifying.
If anything, you should be embarrassed. Embarrassed that Hamas played you like a fiddle, embarrassed that they kept him in plain sight for 5 years, embarrassed that you just made a mockery of your justice system that you should be proud of.
It would be easy for me to say that we should never negotiate with terrorists, even if, God forbid, it were my daughter. That’s not to say I have not thought about it a great deal. Obviously, any person in a green uniform here is a target. I worry every time she walks out the door wearing her uniform.
I know what my ideals are. Would I be able to stick to them if this situation ever occurred? Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not sure anyone would know.
The facts asserted here:
Each such fact is a fabrication on your part. Not well regard, such conduct around here.
I’m going to cut and paste my response to a poll regarding this topic going on in another thread – you can find the post here. The Poll Question there is – the Shalit deal, accept or reject? My follow up response there, to more specific questions regarding why I support the deal, pretty much summing up my view on the whole subject, is:
I’ll add that, like Shinna, my view is colored by the fact that I have a daughter in the army right now, and another boy and girl who will be there in a few short years.
Good question. I wonder what proportion of the 1027 prisoners were political prisoners and how many were murderers? How many were children?
After a quick search, I found this from theUN General Assembly:
“Addressing his remarks to the history, scope and conditions of imprisonment in Israeli prisons and detention centres, human rights lawyer Roberto Garreton, member of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions, said detainees accused of affecting the security of the Israel Defence Force or of Israelis in general were a presumed security risk, when in fact they were only protesting, assembling, demonstrating, writing, thinking or praying. “Is that a crime?” What happened to the exercise of the rights and freedom of assembly, association, thought and opinion? he asked.”
Whatever the case I hope this deal helps the peace process. It should improve relations between Hamas, Fatah and Egypt.
I doubt that any of the 1027 were political prisoners. Keep in mind that the UN has an extreme anti-Israel bias. Believe it or not, the UN Human Rights Council condmens Israel more than all other countries combined.
I am not coming down on either side here–I can see both angles and want to avoid fights!–but a question that occurred to me this morning:
If the Israeli soldier had committed suicide rather than be released as part of this deal, would he be a hero or a fool?
Both, in my opinion.
P.S. I would be fascinated to learn the names and supporting information of some of these Arabs who have supposedly been imprisoned merely for thinking or praying. Or for “nothing”
Imprisoned by Israel, I mean. I do not need proof that this type of conduct happens regularly in parts of the Arab world.
It would be interesting to what for what crimes the traded prisoners are guilty of.
I know some are kind of infamous, like Ahlam Tamimi, who planned the Sbarro suicide bombing, and Amna Muna, who basically lured a 16 year old to his death.
I’ve found some more names:
Nael Barghuti: Guinness Book of Worlds Records holder for longest political prisoner. Arrested in 1978 for killing an Israeli soldier
Yehia al-Sinwar: Co-founder of Hamas’s Al Majd security services. Was serving 4 life sentences, one of them for the 1994 kidnap and murder of Israeli soldier Nashon Wachsman. His brother is suspected of being behind the Schalit kidnapping
Rawhi al-Mushtaha: Co-founder (with al-Sinwar) of Al Majd
Jihad Yaghmur: Hamas official, convicted in the Wachsman murder
Mohammed al-Sharataha: Headed a cell that kidnapped and killed two soldiers in 1989
Walid Anjas: Was involved in the 2002 attack on the Moment Cafe
Nasr Yateyma: Helped plan the 2002 Passover bombing
Chris al-Bandak: Only Christian on the list. Convicted of shooting attacks that killed 2 Israelis and wounded 1.
Abdul Aziz Salha: One of the men who lynched those two soldiers who accidentally drove into Ramallah. Got famous because of that picture of his where he was holding up his bloody hands,
Musab Hashlemon: Planned the 2004 Beersheba bus bombings. This guy has some experience. He was involved in a prior prisoner exchange
Ibrahim Jundiya: Planned the 2002 Jerusalem bus bombing.
Fadi Muhammad al-Jabaa: Planned the 2003 Haifa bus bombing,
Maedh Abu Sharakh: Planned the 2003 Haifa bus bombing.
Hisham Ibrahim Hijaz: Set up a cell that attacked a settlement and killed 2 people.
Amir Jabar Sharif Sawalma: Carried out a shooting attack at an IDF checkpoint, also organized suicide bombings at army checkpoints
Ahmed Mustafa al-Najar: Lookout in an attack against Israelis.
Jabril Ismail: Hid a bomb in a radio, which he put in an apartment building, killing the landlord when he picked it up. Also plotted a suicide bombing at a gas station.
Ismail Musa Bahit: Killed 10 Palestinians he suspected of collaborating with Israel.
Anyway, there are some of the names; probably some of the more notorious ones.
Human beings do such things to each other.
Right, that’s him.
How exactly do you define the phrase “political prisoner”?
It costs a lot of money to house 1000 prisoners. If they can buy good will with the release and perhaps get some peace talks, it will be a big win.
rotflmao.
By stealing the term from the Guinness Book of World Records, which says:
I don’t know how they define it.