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From Reuters:
JERUSALEM - Israel could release jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi if Washington grants clemency to a U.S. Navy analyst convicted of spying for the Jewish state in the 1980s, Israel's Army Radio said on Sunday.It said Israel plans to propose the swap for Jonathan Pollard once acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is sworn in.
Israel would hope to convince the Bush administration that freeing Barghouthi, a senior figure in the once-dominant and pragmatic Fatah movement, would weaken the new Palestinian government under Islamist group Hamas, Army Radio said.
Barghouthi is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for masterminding Palestinian militant attacks. In public, Israeli officials have ruled out his release.
U.S. administrations have been similarly firm on Pollard serving out a life term handed down for treason, despite calls for a pardon from Israel and fellow U.S. Jews...
"This is all about Barghouthi, not Pollard. They want to free Barghouthi," [Jonathan Pollard's wife, Esther] said. "Barghouthi will go free and Jonathan will stay in prison."
Long touted as successor to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Barghouthi remains politically active behind bars. He has struggled to shore up Fatah since Hamas beat it in Palestinian elections in January -- a major setback to U.S.-led efforts to stem more than five years of Middle East bloodshed...
Peace seeking Israelis seem to be continually looking for someone among the Palestinians with whom they can negotiate a permanent peace. While Arafat lived, the failure of the peace process could be blamed directly upon him, rather than the religious ideology to which he adhered. Islam is explicit: no permanent peace is allowed between Muslims and non-Muslims and Islam requires that Muslims re-conquer territories lost to Islamic rule. As Bat Ye'or points out, the problem with Israel from the Muslim standpoint is that the formerly dhimmi Jewish population threw off the Muslim yoke and achieved independence and self rule on ground Muslims view as permanently and irrevocably theirs. Muslims are thus required to re-conquer this ground in order to re-impose Islamic law upon it. Any Jews surviving would be reduced once more to the status of dhimmis.
Posted by Rebecca at April 16, 2006 7:59 AM
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what a bunch of fools these politicians are in Israel, the PA, Hammas are all the same, just that Hamms is more open (not as sly yet) to acheive their ending of Israel! Peace through victory is only achieved when one side firmly beats up the other side.
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at April 16, 2006 8:54 AM
"...Barghouthi is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for masterminding Palestinian militant attacks..."
5" life sentences" and now they are bargaining for his release. What does that tell you?
Anyone against executions of terror-swine such as this one is a fool.
Military courts, 1 minute is all it takes to decide whether the bastard should be shot or hanged.
That's all there's to it.
Everything else prolongs 'the struggle', the Jihad.
Only massive retaliation, summary executions, total destruction and assassination of all those involved in the terror-campaigns will bring an end to Islamic terror.
Posted by: sheik yer'mami at April 16, 2006 8:58 AM
Olmert and his whole gang of crooks are fools. There is no justification whatsoever for freeing Barguti. Pollard received a sentence in violation of the 8th amendment of the US Constitution: "cruel and unusual punishments" shall not be "inflicted." Yes, he was a spy, but many other spies were given much lighter sentences around the same time as Pollard was sentenced. Such as the Walker family and Christopher Boyce who spied for the Soviet enemy, a certain Egyptian living in the US who spied for Egypt, and others. The issue is not whether Pollard was a spy or could be tried, but why he was given what amounts to a life sentence, whereas spies for the Communist USSR were given much lighter sentences. Efforts to free Pollard should be made on the grounds of law and constitutionality, of justice, and by means of public campaigns and judicial efforts. This trading of prisoners smacks of the way Arabs deal with prisoners and it is unbecoming for us to do anything their way.
Olmert and his gang of crooked fools are not a legitimate govt.
at April 16, 2006 9:03 AM
Swapping Barghouthi for Pollard?
Life imitates Sesame Street again: "One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other."
Posted by: Shinoliite at April 16, 2006 9:10 AM
Spying is spying, doesnt matter if the state is hostile of friendly.
I bet we will not be so friendly if the state in question was not Israel but Canada or god forbid, Mexico.
Posted by: geekpunk at April 16, 2006 9:39 AM
Israel is always looking for the next Sadat.
Sadat may have paid with his life, but wasn't he the example of an Arab leader rejecting Islamic law to establish permanent peace w/ non-Muslims? What about Jordan? Could one say that these examples prove it is at least possible?
There's a typo, by the way, in the post: "achieved independEnce and self rule..."
Posted by: kamala at April 16, 2006 10:42 AM
But but but.. Barghoithi is not even American. Why would USA ask for Barghouthi's exchange or Pollard? It does not make sense, but then, sell-outs don't need common sense, do they?
Posted by: Alert at April 16, 2006 2:59 PM
Given that Israel admitted Pollard's guilt when Netanyahu was in power, the least Washington could do is extradite/deport Pollard to Israel, and ban him from visiting the US again.
Johnny bin Walker got a better deal.
Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 16, 2006 3:30 PM
VIEWPOINT:
Marwan Barghouthi, Long touted as successor to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
Marwan Barghouthi, was a rival to Yasser Arafat and therefore the Israelis kept him in prison. the Israelis had a soft spot for Arafat.
at April 16, 2006 7:27 PM
Pollard, the Walkers and Boyce should all have faced the firing squad. They are not only spies but traitors.
Posted by: MP at April 17, 2006 12:57 PM
dococ, Mustafa Barguti was a protege of arafat, not so much a rival. Don't forget that arafat liked younger men [just like Zsa Zsa no doubt]. There are good reasons for barguti being in jail. He deserves no sympathy.
Posted by: Eliyahu at April 17, 2006 6:59 PM
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