[My sentiments exactly.]
By David Weinberg, ISRAEL HAYOM
You would almost think it an April Fool’s joke. The U.S. is going to release Jonathan Pollard to give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu political cover for proliferate, undeserved, and inexplicable Israeli concessions to the Palestinians. Reportedly, these concessions would include the release of hundreds more Palestinian prisoners, and some sort of building freeze in Judea and Samaria.
The Palestinians are then going to agree to hold back on attacking Israel too harshly in international forums and continue the indirect negotiations with Israel through Secretary of State John Kerry.
In judging such a deal — if in fact this is what is currently on the table — one has to consider the overall, strategic objective. In this case, that objective is to keep the negotiations alive.
I don’t dismiss the supreme importance of continuing the negotiations. The diplomatic process keeps conflict at arm’s length, maintains some stability in the territories, helps maintain Israel’s global diplomatic position, allows Israel’s economy to continue to grow, and holds out the promise, however so small, of reasonable political agreements with the Palestinian Authority.
I’m even willing to believe that Kerry has achieved more understandings between Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas than the public is aware of, and that Kerry has been a good friend and counsel to Israel in this process.
So the process itself is a worthy cause. But the deal under discussion is nonsensical, for a number of reasons.
The idea of trading Pollard for murderers is morally wrong.
Justice demands that Pollard be released without regard to what Israel decides to do on the release of Arab prisoners or how Israel decides to keep or dispose of the West Bank. The case for Pollard’s release is based on both substantive legal and humanitarian considerations, period. Linking it to the negotiations is sinful.
Second, Pollard’s release is not the grand bonanza for Netanyahu that Kerry perhaps thinks it is. With all due sympathy for Pollard, large segments of the Israeli public will turn their noses up at this stinky deal, and say: Fooya! It is better that Pollard not be released in this way. Thus, such a release will not purchase true political cover for Netanyahu in terms of bending before the Palestinians.
Most of all, the deal is mistaken for the following reason: If Prime Minister Netanyahu is to keep making concessions to Abbas then he should expect something of substance in return from the Palestinians that would bring us closer to peace. Doing so only for the sake of Pollard makes no diplomatic sense.
It is time for Abbas to show some concrete compromises for peace; to “sacrifice for peace”; to show that he too cares about and desires these negotiations. In the absence of such, Israel’s repeated and grandiose concessions to the Palestinians only indicate Israeli weakness in the face of continued Palestinian rigidity.
Just last week, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror reminded us of the very significant changes that have transpired in Israel’s negotiating stance since the beginning of the Oslo process, versus the total consistency and obduracy of Palestinian negotiating positions during that time. The man who was until recently Netanyahu’s national security advisor told a conference at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (which he has now joined) that Israel has made giant strides toward the Palestinians, while the Palestinians have not moved one millimeter toward Israel.
Amidror compared Prime Minister Rabin’s positions to those of Netanyahu’s today in order to the demonstrate the degree to which Israel has moved toward the Palestinians.
Rabin rejected full Palestinian statehood (he talked about an “entity that was less than a state”); Netanyahu has embraced the two-state construct.
Rabin pledged that Israel would retain control over the Jordan Valley “in the broadest meaning of that term”; Netanyahu speaks only of Israeli forces on the border.
Rabin explicitly rejected a building freeze in the territories; Netanyahu has implemented one.
Rabin pledged never to release Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder; Netanyahu has released three groups of killers, not in exchange for an agreement, but rather as a “confidence-building measure” intended merely to bring Palestinian representatives to the negotiating table.
Rabin pledged never to pay compensation to the children and grandchildren of Palestinian refugees; today, it is clear that Israel will pay compensation.
Rabin never spoke of ‘compensating’ Palestinians with pre-1967 Israeli land for settlement blocs over the Green Line that Israel intends to keep. Now, for some reason, it is expected (accepted?) that Israel will recompense the Palestinian state for settlement bloc land, perhaps even at a 1:1 ratio.
And so forth and so on.
And what about the Palestinians? Well, Palestinian goals and demands have remained consistent throughout the Oslo period, says Amidror. Abbas, and Yasser Arafat before him, never wavered on their clear demand for eastern Jerusalem to serve as the capital of the Palestinian state. They have remained focused on their demand that no Jews be allowed to live in the nascent Palestinian state. Their stance on Palestinian refugees — that the children and grandchildren of Palestinian refugees must be given the right to emigrate to Israel — has never wavered.
And so forth and so on.
So if John Kerry wants to negotiate a package of mutual concessions between Netanyahu and Abbas in order to allow a continuation of negotiations with a real chance of success — fine. Go for it. Show us that Abbas is prepared to concede and compromise a bit. Show us sustainable and measurable Palestinian moderation. Don’t try to bribe Israel into another awkward, lopsided, unfair and unfavorable negotiating framework by proffering poor Mr. Pollard.
Max Said:
Really Max, you do tend to foam at the mouth.
@ Max:
Right after YOU f**k yourself, pancho.
You have a thing about suicide
— and every so often, Max, it creeps out from under its rock and shows itself.
yamit82 Said:
Israel is killing itself with kindness.
Mickey Oberman Said:
Evert time you eat produce you eat food picked illegal immigrants who objects of commerce.
@ Bear Klein</
Pardon me Bear, I spelt your last name wrong. I have 'Kline' relatives.
I wonder what Abraham Lincoln would say to see America slide backwards to dealing with and treating human beings as objects of commerce.
I wonder what Obama’s American (If there really were any ) ancestors would say.
I am sure I know what his religious mentor, Reverend Wright would say.
I know what I would like to say but I would be banned forever for blasphemy and other Obama not approved adjectives.
Mickey
Abu Buff (Abbas) put his cards in blind with the UN. He is hoping that he will get a better offer to withdraw his UN cards.
If he does not get a better offer he will loose his poker game.
Let him go the UN. Israel can then do its own unilateral actions!
@ Bear Klein:
These are not ‘rumors’ Bear Kline. It is on the table for discussion and is being reported as such.
Oh BTW, Israelis, be sure to water the cactus.
Don’t get sloppy now.
Bear Klein Said:
Yeah , but you have to remember who is in the Whitehouse. ie Jon Stewart’s best friend. lol
We are all reacting to the rumours, half truths, etc. that the media is publishing as news.
On No, not again!!! not more prisoner releases – releasing murderers for nothing.
Come on Israel, institute capital punishment and we don’t have to worry about these prisoners anymore.
..
Pollard – be a patriot and kill yourself so there can be no deal. Show Israelis how to get tough.
yamit82 Said:
As far as I can tell, no one in Israel likes this deal. Even the Arabs hate it, which tells you all truly need to know. Yes, it is THAT bad.
Bear Klein Said:
From your lips to G-d’s ears. I have more respect for the enemy than I do for Israel’s terminally stupid and inept Prime Minister. He doesn’t sell out his principles for an American felon. Only Netanyahus shows every one how inept he is as a negotiator. I prefer Israel to be spared further pointless ordeal at his hands.
@ yamit82:
Good analysis. Pollard is not going to go along with Netanyahu’s silly nonsense. He’ll pass up being a party to this shameful deal. If Netanyahu wants to sell more unilateral concessions to the Palestinian Arabs, he should do it without using Pollard as a fig leaf for them. Between you and me, I hope his stinky maneuver blows up in his face.
@ Bear Klein:
BB’s problem is not Bayit Yehudi it’s the Likud ministers and backbenchers and a third of Yisrael Beitaynu.
So far the so called peace process has failed to bring peace. And there is no hope in sight. There are many individuals who think that Mr. Pollard should not have been in jail for more than two to four years at most. I do not know why he has been unfairly treated as Israel is the best friend of USA.
Releasing Mr. Pollard as an exchange for those who committed crimes against Israel amounts to penalizing him for a life time. He cannot ever say I was released based on fair justice. It is sadism to tie his release to well known “criminals”. Taking such action won’t be good for the image of USA. I wish something different and noble be done to handle his case without relating to Palestinian prisoners.
Sounds like deal will not happen.
Only the other Likud-Betenyu can stop Bibi from doing this release more terrorist deal for Pollard. If Bayit Yehudi pulls out the government will not fall as Labor will prop up Bibi.
| The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/herzog-palestinians-have-no-unilateral-alternative-to-talks/#ixzz2xeckqEFo
@ yamit82:
We need our temple rebuilt first. (Not really sure why we have to wait til then). Actually I do know why. 🙁
@ yamit82:
Elegant simplicity.
@ yamit82:
You are on point!
If Bibi gives again what will he do later? He seems more like Barak than the the leader of a right wing coalition government.
Only thing I worry about now if the government will not fall Labor because might step in lieu of Bayit HaYehudi. That is a miserable prospect. Hopefully that will not happen. This might be a bonafide reason for Bayit HaYehudi not to exit the coalition. This whole thing is bad for Israel. Where is Yitzhak Shamir when you need him. He knew how to say no to the USA.
Conclusion Kill all terrorists no prisoners.
Activate the death penalty for Foreign terrorists lucky enough not to be killed in their capture.
No prisoners no possibility of trading for terrorists.
I think we should release every Jew held in prison connected with crimes against Arabs and mostly Yigal Amir the convicted assassin of Rabin.
@ yamit82:
You are right on! Not only your analysis but your proscription. Bang right on!
The political motivation for BB is to stick it to Bennett and his party on record of “Over our dead bodies will we allow a prisoner release of murderers and a freeze in construction in Y&S and Jerusalem”
If Bennett opposes or leaves the coalition and torpedoes the tripartite exchange he stands to be blamed for keeping Pollard in goal. If he agrees he looks impotent and BB gets all the glory.
This is how BB thinks and operates. Tough one for Bennett in politics one should learn when to keep your mouth shut and weigh your words before speaking….
I say under the circumstances keep Pollard in prison and sink the government if possible. Then there might be other opportunities for Pollard if BB is replaced by a more patriotic, honest and Jewish leader.
Every thing BB says about the deal is either an outright lie or partial lie. He wants the national focus to be on Pollard and not on his own perfidious cowardice.
At any time since BB was elected he could have demanded Pollard for any of the previous terrorist releases but he never raised the issue or made Pollards release a quid pro quo.
Ultimately the deal stinks for the fundamental reason that it will achieve nothing.
The “peace” talks will ultimately fail because the pali-posers don’t want peace. Abbas will still end up going to the U.N. for recognition. Israel will be blamed no matter what and the enchallata will erupt.
All this does is postpone the inevitable and not without cost.
Besides the obvious moral bankruptcy of releasing convicted unrepentant terrorist murders it undermines Israel’s legitimacy and demoralizes the IDF and the populace while leading to the inevitable death of more Jews. The freeze reinforces world opinion that Israel is occupying Arab land (why aren’t the Arab’s also freezing??).
It is a fools deal by a foolish and cowardly Israeli government that no longer has a moral compass nor a national identity, assuming it ever had either.
Here is more details that I just received
Imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard could go free as part of a deal that would extend the U.S.-brokered Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations into 2015 and extract various concessions from the Jewish state, Israeli media reported with varying degrees of certainty.
Yedioth Ahronoth, citing an Israeli source familiar with the ongoing negotiations, reported that Pollard would be freed before Passover.Israel National News reported that a Pollard deal had “crystallized,” and Haaretz cited a senior Israeli official as saying, “Things are not sealed yet but we are not far from it.”
According to the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz, the deal includes five elements: Pollard’s freedom before Passover; extending the peace talks into 2015, with the Palestinians committing not to make unilateral moves at the U.N.; Israel proceeding with the fourth release of 26 Palestinian terrorists prisoners; Israel releasing another 400 Palestinian prisoners “without blood on their hands,” including women and minors; and an Israeli settlement construction freeze.
“It won’t be a complete [settlement] freeze,” a source told Israel National News. “Tenders and projects already being built will continue, as well as government and public buildings in Jerusalem.”
Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel told Army Radio that people close to Pollard have told him that the jailed spy opposes a “shameful deal” to secure his freedom in exchange for the release of terrorists. Pollard, currently in his 29th year in prison, is the only person in U.S. history to receive a life sentence for spying for an American ally
What about Pollard? Doesn’t he have a say in all this? He’s on record as not wanting to be released for Arab murders. He shows more courage and moral fortitude then the entire Israeli establishment.
And who can fault Abbas and the pali-posers? Why should they move an inch or a millimeter when their obdurance pays in spades with Israel concessions that at the current rate will give them their ultimate victory. They have the entire world on their side to boot!
It’s not Pollard’s fault. If he does get released under these conditions lets hope we embrace him and not shun him.
No wonder we are called crazy fools. How could this deal even be possible to consider?? It doesn’t matter if many Jews oppose it. We will ALL look like fools – worse than suicidal!
I feel worse than ever for Pollard. Great if he gets out but at what cost to Israel. He is well aware of the cost and does not approve.
These terrorist releases are nauseating.
I am convinced they come up with these absurd ‘deals’ to obtain their real goal. Divide the Jews then conquer them.