Tegenover elke Israëlische dode schijnen honderden Palestijnse doden te staan, maar voor één Israëlische soldaat moeten ook 1.000 Palestijnse gevangenen worden vrijgelaten. Sommigen beschuldigen Israël van racisme, en van een extreme vergeldigspolitiek, anderen wijten dit aan de doodscultuur van de Arabieren. Dat is wat sterk uitgedrukt, maar feit is dat de Palestijnen in meerderheid het doden van Israëlische burgers goedkeuren en hun doden - ook als dat plegers van zelfmoordaanslagen zijn - eren als helden, en Hamas gebruikt burgers geregeld als menselijk schild.
Het absurde aantal gevangenen dat Israël vrij laat voor een soldaat heeft niet zozeer met racisme te maken, maar de Israëlische moraal dat je alle mensen van het slagveld thuisbrengt wordt door de regering tot in het extreme getrokken, niet in de laatste plaats vanwege de chantage door de familie van de soldaten, die geregeld overleg hebben met regeringsfunctionarissen. Wie is er bestand tegen de pijn, het verdriet en de hartverscheurende pleidooien om alles te doen om haar zoon terug te krijgen?
R&W
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Last update - 11:13 27/06/2008
Shin Bet agrees to free prisoners 'with blood on their hands' for Shalit
Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin has somewhat softened his position regarding the prisoners who could be released in return for Shalit. Diskin is now prepared to release some prisoners "who have the blood of Israelis on their hands," so long as the risk they pose is lessened.
The government's coordinator for hostage negotiations, Ofer Dekel, left for Cairo on Thursday, where talks have resumed over a deal to secure the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Shalit was abducted two years ago in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants, and has since remained in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Sources in the defense establishment expressed satisfaction at the renewed effort to advance the deal, and in particular at the increased Egyptian role in mediating between the parties.
The resumption of the talks is part of the agreements Israel and Egypt reached in connection with the cease-fire (tahadiyeh) between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Dekel held meetings in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials, headed by Egypt's intelligence chief, General Omar Suleiman. Simultaneously, talks are taking place between Egypt and Hamas. Dekel was supposed to talk to his hosts about the procedural aspects of the talks, while gaining an impression as to areas where Hamas might prove flexible.
Israeli officials are encouraged by the Egyptians' attitude toward the mediation, which they found to be more serious and thorough this time around. The intention is to conduct intensive negotiations in the near future, in order to advance a deal. The gaps between the sides are still substantial, primarily because of Hamas' demand that Israel release dozens of its members who are serving multiple life sentences for their roles in suicide bombings that killed and wounded many.
The solution being proposed is to transfer such inmates who are from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip or another country. A similar solution was used in the deal involving the wanted militants who holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in 2002. Dekel is in favor of a similar arrangement, as are Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al Hayat reported on Thursday that Egypt had given Israel a list of 1,000 prisoners Hamas wants freed in return for Shalit, but Israel objected to 75 percent of them. According to the paper's sources, the deal in the works is set to include the release of 150 Palestinian inmates in the first stage, in return for Shalit being transferred to Egypt, where his family will be able to visit him. On Shalit's return to Israel, 800 additional prisoners will be released in two stages.
The government's coordinator for hostage negotiations, Ofer Dekel, left for Cairo on Thursday, where talks have resumed over a deal to secure the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Shalit was abducted two years ago in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants, and has since remained in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Sources in the defense establishment expressed satisfaction at the renewed effort to advance the deal, and in particular at the increased Egyptian role in mediating between the parties.
The resumption of the talks is part of the agreements Israel and Egypt reached in connection with the cease-fire (tahadiyeh) between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Dekel held meetings in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials, headed by Egypt's intelligence chief, General Omar Suleiman. Simultaneously, talks are taking place between Egypt and Hamas. Dekel was supposed to talk to his hosts about the procedural aspects of the talks, while gaining an impression as to areas where Hamas might prove flexible.
Israeli officials are encouraged by the Egyptians' attitude toward the mediation, which they found to be more serious and thorough this time around. The intention is to conduct intensive negotiations in the near future, in order to advance a deal. The gaps between the sides are still substantial, primarily because of Hamas' demand that Israel release dozens of its members who are serving multiple life sentences for their roles in suicide bombings that killed and wounded many.
The solution being proposed is to transfer such inmates who are from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip or another country. A similar solution was used in the deal involving the wanted militants who holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in 2002. Dekel is in favor of a similar arrangement, as are Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
The London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al Hayat reported on Thursday that Egypt had given Israel a list of 1,000 prisoners Hamas wants freed in return for Shalit, but Israel objected to 75 percent of them. According to the paper's sources, the deal in the works is set to include the release of 150 Palestinian inmates in the first stage, in return for Shalit being transferred to Egypt, where his family will be able to visit him. On Shalit's return to Israel, 800 additional prisoners will be released in two stages.
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