Israel to swap 1027 suspected and convicted terrorists for a Sergeant

[charliedontsurf]

I was amazed when I read more about this today - I'd heard about it, but I'm just floored the Israelis could make such an incredibly unwise decision. The boy is a hero and an icon in Israel, but this is just insane.

http://news.yahoo.com/prisoner-swap...RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3

Look halfway down this page for a list of "people," really muderous, criminal monsters, which are to be released: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Israel-Hamas_prisoner_exchange
People like Nasser Yataima - "convicted of planning the Passover massacre (2002) in which 30 civilians were killed and 140 were wounded"

If it were Netanyahu himself that was abducted I would still disagree with this ransom.

 

[aesthyrian]

"The exchange, negotiated through mediators because Israel and Hamas will not talk directly to each other, involves a delicate series of staged releases, each one triggering the next."

pretty much says it all. How pointless is a pow exchange when the two parties refuse to even communicate with each other? This should be seen and used a peacemaking opportunity, but instead they continue the silence.

It's really hard to not get overly frustrated with this crap. The whole situation over there is totally ridiculous. Religion and land... what great things to kill over.

 

[lwien]

Religion and land... what great things to kill over.

Been that way since the beginning of time. Don't think it will ever change.

Religion and land. And it's not just the Israelis and Palestinians that have played this game.

But considering those two, there's just too much hatred, fear and distrust that has been handed down from a few generations, and I don't see it letting up. Kids are taught from both sides to hate each other..............from a VERY young age, and when they have kids of their own, they'll pass it on down the line.

Sad, but that's the reality of it............in what is supposed to be one of the holiest places on earth.

 

[Stu]

fear and distrust that has been handed down from a few generations

A few? That's quite an understatement. I can only hope that with all the information available instantly on the internet these days that humans can educate themselves out of this (mostly religiously self-induced) mess.

My hope is optimistic, I know.

 

[momatik]

I don't understand this at all. I'm a staunch critic of Israel and their strategy in dealing with this regional conflict that has had implications for the entire world. We should care about the bodies, because bodies creates conflict which leads to more bodies. This decision is just foolish... some of these men are killers. And there is no doubt that their imprisonment thus far has not been pleasant. Many of them have been incarcerated since early 2000s, some early 90's. Is the expectation for them to start life anew? It's practically assured that some of them will return to their prior lifestyles, creating more problems for both countries.

 

[djonkoman]

it is a bit over the top, but I'm always more surprised by the dead soldier-swaps...
I've often seen in the news that israel even releases terrorists in exchange for a dead soldiers body
I kind of get it, israel still has obligatory military service so they have to deal more with the families
when it are professional soldiers that choose that profession willingly the family is probably prepared better for the risks

 

[Gunky]

I'm glad that Shalit was released and happy for his family. Still, it is very disturbing to see the terrible killers being released. Shalit's captivity seems to have been for the Israelis like the US hostage crisis in Iran back during Carter's presidency (the pressure to get them back was intense; a Carter rescue mission flamed out and Reagan eventually traded some weapons with those lovely folks for the hostages in contradiction to everything he had been saying over the years). The Israelis have paid a high price for his release. Most telling of all is the way these mass murderers of teenagers in pizza parlors and the like are being hailed by the Palestinians as heroic freedom-fighters. How can one negotiate with that kind of mind-set?

 

[momatik]

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/10/18/noam_chomsky_on_israel_palestine_prisoner#.Tp2qbf_ABDQ

Noam Chomsky discusses the prisoner swap after touching on Anwar al-Awlaki.