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It is unclear what concrete gains the Olmert government expects to secure by returning a live jihadist convicted of murder as part of an exchange for two Israeli soldiers who are now presumed dead. It may seek some sense of political closure on the 2006 war in order to move forward in its dealings with Syria and Lebanon, regardless of how fruitful those may or may not be. Or, perhaps they may hold onto the hope, official positions notwithstanding, that Goldwasser and Regev are still alive. But the willingness to swap Samir Kuntar for their remains will be interpreted by Israel's enemies as a sign of weakness; indeed, obtaining Kuntar's freedom constitutes a net gain for Hizballah's kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers and the ensuing war. It is a clear signal to jihadist groups that kidnappings are effective, and, worse yet, it may encourage Hamas to increase its demands in exchange for the release of Gilad Schalit.
"Palestinians disappointed PA prisoners won't be included in swap for Regev, Goldwasser," by Khaled Abu Toameh for the Jerusalem Post, June 30:
Palestinians on Sunday reacted with mixed feelings to the news about the Israel-Hizbullah prisoner exchange agreement.
While many Palestinians expressed joy over the decision to release Lebanese prisoner Samir Kuntar, they also voiced disappointment because the deal did not include Palestinian inmates.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum hailed the agreement as a "victory" for Hizbullah. "This is an achievement for the will and steadfastness of the Lebanese resistance," he said. "This also proves that rights can only be restored by force." However, Fatah and Hamas representatives criticized Hizbullah for failing to demand the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. They said Hizbullah could have easily secured the release of several hundred Palestinians in return for IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
"This is a very bad deal as far as the Palestinians are concerned," said a top Fatah operative in Ramallah. "Hassan Nasrallah has betrayed the Palestinians by signing a separate deal with Israel." A senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip also expressed disappointment with Nasrallah, saying the majority of the Palestinians couldn't understand why he "turned his back on us." He said that following the kidnapping of the two soldiers, many Palestinian factions and families sent Hizbullah lists with the names of Palestinian prisoners whom they wished to be included in a future prisoner swap with Israel.
"Nasrallah has shown that he does not really care about the Palestinians," the Hamas official said. "There is no doubt he could have got much more from Israel in return for the two soldiers. But we don't understand why he chose to act in this way." The Palestinians have long referred to Kuntar as a "hero." According to Palestinian Media Watch, the Palestinian Authority regarded Kuntar as an "ideal" prisoner.
"On the one hand, Kuntar embodies what the PA considers the 'heroism' of terrorists fighting Israel," the group said. "On the other hand, he's the ultimate symbol of all terrorist prisoners who have murdered Israelis and will eventually be freed as a result of future kidnappings or through some other means." PA Television, controlled by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, recently broadcast a picture honoring Kuntar, who is depicted beside a map of Israel completely covered by the Palestinian flag.
In Beirut, Hizbullah said the Israeli approval of the deal was a reflection of the Islamist group's strength.
Posted by Marisol at June 30, 2008 12:19 AM
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This just sickens me. Are the Israelis suicidal?
Posted by: Jewel Atkins![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 30, 2008 12:29 AM
Read all about Samir Kuntar by clicking on the link provided above. Think about him and what he did, and how proud he is of what he did, and how proud the Arabs -- the Gazan Arabs, the "West Bank" Arabs, the Arabs outside of Israel, are of Samir Kuntar.
Now draw some conclusions. See if Islam is included in your conclusions.
Posted by: Hugh at June 30, 2008 12:38 AM
From a previous article at JW:
"As reported by Palestinian Media Watch, a May 6th article in the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida heaped praise on Samir Kuntar, who is serving multiple sentences of life imprisonment in Israel for murdering an Israeli father, Danny Haran, and his two young daughters in Nahariya in 1979. The PA newspaper praised Kuntar as "a name of pride in the history of the prisoners of the national movement" and "a beacon of light for us and for the generations to come and an authentic role model. Every day that passes Samir's pride grows, and our pride in him grows greater and greater."
Posted by: Hugh at June 30, 2008 12:44 AM
A Druse, he is one of those who, especially in and Syria, in order to fit in, in order to be enrolled in what is seen as the "Arab national cause," which is the cause of Islam, the cause of removing the Infidel nation-state of Israel, became plus arabe que les arabes. Druse in Israel, not subject to the pressure of Arabs, are free to serve in the Israeli army or not, as they wish. Many do. One suspects that given the recent attempt by Hezbollah to attack several Druse villages, and the stiff resistance put up by the Druse, that things look differently, as they usually do once the Lebanese or Arab political kaleidoscope is given a new shake, as happens so frequently -- and Samir Kuntar will not quite know whether he now fits more with the Shi'a of Hezbollah (for he was included in an ingredient made between Israel and Hezbollah), or with the Druse, now anti-Hezbollah. Or did Hezbollah insist on his being included so as to try to win back points with the Druse whom they recently so offended? Anything, everything, is possible.
Here is what you need to now about Samir Kuntar:
"Samir Kuntar, a Lebanese Druse, was sentenced to four life sentences in 1979 for the deaths of Danny Haran, 28, his two daughters and a policeman in Nahariya.
A member of the Palestine Liberation Front, Kuntar and four others sailed 10 kilometers under the cover of night from south Lebanon to Nahariya in a 55-horse-power rubber boat. The mission, led by Kuntar and titled the Nasser Operation, brought the terrorists to the Nahariya coast around midnight on April 22, 1979.
The group murdered police officer Eliahu Shahar after he stumbled upon the gang. The men then entered an apartment building at Rehov Jabotinski 61 and broke into the Haran family's apartment, taking them hostage.
Kuntar's gang took Danny and four-year-old Einat Haran hostage as police reinforcements arrived on the scene.
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Haran's wife, Smadar, hid with her two-year-old daughter Yael in a crawl space above the couple's bedroom. Smadar tried to muffle the girl's cries, and accidentally smothered her.
As officers arrived at the building, the terrorists pulled Danny and Einat out of the apartment building and down to the beach, where a shootout with police and soldiers ensued.
Kuntar shot Danny Haran at close-range and threw his body into the sea to make sure he died. He then bashed Einat's head on rocks and with butt of his rifle, killing her instantly.
Two terrorists were killed by police during the shootout, while Kuntar and Ahmed al-Abrass were captured.
Abrass was released in May 1985 during the Ahmed Jibril prisoner exchange, while Kuntar remained in prison.
In a 2003 article in The Washington Post, Smadar Haran recalled her final moments with Danny.
"I will never forget the joy and the hatred in [the terrorists'] voices as they swaggered about hunting for us, firing their guns and throwing grenades," Haran wrote. "As I lay there, I remembered my mother telling me how she had hidden from the Nazis during the Holocaust. 'This is just like what happened to my mother,' I thought."
Kuntar has openly expressed pride about the killings over the years.
He hails from the Lebanese mountain village of Aabey and has been in Israeli prison longer than any other Lebanese."
ManyArabs -- and in proportion to their numbers, far fewer Druse -- are proud of Samir Kuntar. He has been made into a hero among the Gazan Arabs and the "West Bank" Arabs, and among other Arabs, similarly inclined -- and so many are -- elsewhere.
at June 30, 2008 12:54 AM
From an article in the Israeli paper Ha'aretz:
"Lebanese families are feverishly preparing to welcome home the Lebanese prisoners Israel is set to free as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah. The prisoners' families have begun festooning their homes with Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, and reception ceremonies are being planned in major towns.
In downtown Sidon on Sunday, political activists decorated a central city square, the site of an installation two years ago depicting longtime Lebanese prisoner Samir Kuntar, who murdered an Israeli family in Nahariya in 1979, behind prison bars.
"We will not vacate this spot until Kuntar comes here himself," a young female activist said Sunday.
at June 30, 2008 1:09 AM
Why was this murderer not executed ?
Posted by: arjun.sevak at June 30, 2008 1:20 AM
In downtown Sidon on Sunday, political activists decorated a central city square...
"We will not vacate this spot until Kuntar comes here himself," a young female activist said Sunday.
Sounds like a target rich environment...
at June 30, 2008 1:36 AM
Seriously, though, only in Israel could calculatingly putting your citizens in jeapordy and your nation at a serious strategic disadvantage be a winning strategy to keeping your coalition in power. It boggles my mind.
Posted by: Lt. Presley O'Bannon at June 30, 2008 1:56 AM
"Seriously, though, only in Israel could calculatingly putting your citizens in jeapordy and your nation at a serious strategic disadvantage be a winning strategy to keeping your coalition in power. It boggles my mind.
Posted by: Lt. Presley O'Bannon "
This is not unique to Israel, and is the result of the rising % of islamic population. Over here in India, a terrorist (islamic, of course) who attacked the parliament and was ordered to be executed is still alive, thanks to the ruling coalition that decided to send his file to the president for a possible pardon. At that time, we had a decent president and he would not have shown leniency, so the ruling coalition simple sat on the file until the president's term ended. The current status of the file is unknown, and the members of the ruling coalition continue to make statements like "capital punishment is harsh". This terrorist is still alive, and a future hostage situation is not ruled out. I think that it would have been better if the attack was more successful and the islamics had wiped out about half of our parliament, instead of a few security people.
Posted by: arjun.sevak at June 30, 2008 2:09 AM
Indeed, I know who and what Kuntar is, and that is why this sickens me so, Hugh. This is the Oslo "peace" that started back in Carter's day with the Camp David Accords, the beginning of the end for Israel. A complete vivisection of a once thriving nation whose head is rotting, and the body is following.
Posted by: Jewel Atkins at June 30, 2008 2:47 AM
Another bloodthirsty and brutal killer freed and allowed to resume activities that will surely result in the deaths of innocent people.
When will the world learn that you do not free lowlives like these to roam the streets.
I agree with A.S. ...why was this sorry excuse of a human not executed long ago?...
Posted by: pulsar182 at June 30, 2008 3:27 AM
This is not unique to Israel, and is the result of the rising % of islamic population. Over here in India...
Posted by: arjun.sevak
Yes, you're right, the multi-party system does come with it's own set of built in dangers and difficulties, not the least of which is requiring parties and politicians to pander to some pretty unsavory elements to obtain a ruling majority.
Posted by: Lt. Presley O'Bannon at June 30, 2008 4:16 AM
Trading live terrorist for the dead is a losing stratigy. Eveantually your bench gets to thin to finish the game.
Posted by: Mr.Fitnah at June 30, 2008 5:51 AM
I shall take a printout of this article, and of Mr Fitzgerald's various elucidating remarks, with me, tomorrow evening, when I go to hear one Mr Ryan, from Northern Ireland, attempting to enlist our sympathies for the Pooor Palestinians who are being so dreadfully persecuted by the Eevil Joooz.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, having absorbed the article, and having absorbed Hugh's remarks, allow yourself to read the following screed, from the Useful Idiots department at the World Council of Churches: a manifesto entitled 'It's Time For Palestine', which formed the centrepiece of anti-Israel activities in some circles this month (thanks be to all that is holy, such things certainly did not take place at MY parish church).
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/icappi-2008/action-week-message.html
It’s time for Palestine. It’s time for peace.
It's time for Palestine.
It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace.
It's time to respect human lives in the land called holy.
It's time for healing to begin in wounded souls.
It's time to end 60 years of conflict, oppression and fear.
It's time for freedom from occupation.
It's time for equal rights.
It's time to stop discrimination, segregation and restrictions on movement.
It's time for those who put up walls and fences to build them on their own property.
It's time to stop bulldozing one community's homes and building homes for the other community on land that is not theirs.
It's time to do away with double standards.
It's time for Israeli citizens to have security and secure borders agreed with their neighbours.
It's time for the international community to implement 60 years of United Nations resolutions.
It's time for Israel's government to complete the bargain offered in the Arab Peace Initiative.
It's time for those who represent the Palestinian people to all be involved in making peace.
It's time for people who have been refugees for 60 years to regain their rights and a permanent home.
It's time to assist settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to make their home in Israel.
It's time for self-determination.
It's time for foreigners to visit Bethlehem and other towns imprisoned by the wall.
It's time to see settlements in their comfort and refugee camps in their despair.
It's time for people living 41 years under occupation to feel new solidarity from a watching world.
It's time to name the shame of collective punishment and to end it in all its forms.
It's time to be revolted by violence against civilians and for civilians on both sides to be safe.
It's time for both sides to release their prisoners and give those justly accused a fair trial.
It's time to reunite the people of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It's time for all parties to obey international humanitarian and human rights law.
It's time to share Jerusalem as the capital of two nations and a city holy to three religions.
It's time for Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities to be free to visit their holy sites.
It's time in Palestine as in Israel for olive trees to flourish and grow old.
It's time to honour all who have suffered, Palestinians and Israelis.
It's time to learn from past wrongs.
It's time to understand pent-up anger and begin to set things right.
It's time for those with blood on their hands to acknowledge what they have done.
It's time to seek forgiveness between communities and to repair a broken land together.
It's time to move forward as human beings who are all made in the image of God.
All who are able to speak truth to power must speak it.
All who would break the silence surrounding injustice must break it.
All who have something to give for peace must give it.
For Palestine, for Israel and for a troubled world,
It's time for peace."
There are people who swallow this stuff whole.
Me, after reading what Samir Kuntar did, and how he is lionized by the local Arab Muslims, and all the rest of it...well, reading this WCC Manifesto, with its sweetly-worded thinly veiled call for the 'End of the Occupation', which in Arab Muslimspeak is a call for the total annihilation of the single largest Jewish community in the world, produces in me only a very strong desire to vomit.
Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at June 30, 2008 6:49 AM
Correction; I should have started my final paragraph with the words 'As for me..' - apologies for bad grammar.
I should add that that poisonous little World Council of Churches exercise in oh-so-carefully balanced delicate moral equivalencing between tiny, embattled, too-scrupulous Israel and the psychopathic murderous monster that is the Jihad (a monster never more clearly exposed than in the hysterical local Arab applause for the deeds of a Samir Kuntar, that is, his murder of an unarmed Jewish man and the bashing in of the head of a little Jewish girl) makes me remember the common meaning of the first two letters of their titular abbreviation.
Not WCC.
WC.
Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at June 30, 2008 7:02 AM
Like all pacifists, the WCC thinks all we have to do is lay down our guns and kiss our enemy and all will be well. In the Cold War there were many in the West who believed that all we had to do was love our enemy and he would love us back.
The Useful Idiots Department is right! There is a rejoinder to every line in that ridiculous manifesto but in the interest of time, I have chosen two.
"All who have something to give for peace must give it."
Does that include our lives? You do realize that nothing less will satisfy them.
"It's time to be revolted by violence against civilians and for civilians on both sides to be safe."
-WCC
Then why is Sami Kuntar, a man who killed a father and his daughters, a hero?
at June 30, 2008 7:59 AM
It was the families of those soldiers who cried and pulled a Cindy Sheehan, and few had the guts to stand up to their senseless bleetings. I thought Olmert's War in 06 was way to over blown and was doomed to failure from the start, but in a political sense this is even worse cause it signals weakness and will only encourage the same sort of behavior that started the 06 war.
Posted by: MorrisMinor at June 30, 2008 12:52 PM
I think that it would have been better if the attack was more successful and the islamics had wiped out about half of our parliament, instead of a few security people.arjunPosted by: arjun.sevak at June 30, 2008 2:09 AM
That was my view at the time too, instead of the standard outrage that the attack provoked, except that such sentiments would have been (wrongly) interpreted as a treasonous endorsement of Jihad, rather than the wake-up call to the useful idiots that it would have been. Instead of making the people of India roundedly more anti-Islamic, it was simply looked at as another day in history. Methinks it would have been hilarious had the Mohammedans beheaded the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Somnath Chatterjee, et al and sent those videos to Aaj tak, NDTV and other such dhimmi stations - opinion designers there would have been in a bind as to whether to show them or not.
I'm also waiting for the day when Mohammedans in Left Bengal have a major fall-out with the ruling Marxists there - that will be one of those Alien vs Predator movies worth all the popcorn and more. Too bad it could put people at risk, but nothing else will seal the osmosis of Mohammedans into India, while doing nothing to contain Jihad from Dacca.
Posted by: Infidel Pride at June 30, 2008 2:51 PM
Two terrorists were killed by police during the shootout, while Kuntar and Ahmed al-Abrass were captured."
First Big mistake is that all terrorists must be killed during any shootout. l hope any IDF remembers now know this monster is being let out, and that innocent child and her father and others were killed and know their killer is being freed.
at June 30, 2008 7:03 PM
I heard on a talk radio program late today (Maltzberg, WOR, NYC) that the two Israeli soldiers are indeed dead. Their bodies will be returned to Israel in exchange for Kuntar and, I believe, one other murderous individual, also quite alive. It would be appropriate for the Israelis to execute these bastards before they are returned to their fold. Let corpses be exchanged for corpses, but Hezbollah should not be informed in advance of this action - let it be a surprise. While Kuntar is a Druze and perhaps not a Muslim, if he is, or if his cohort happens to be one, I suggest that they be dispatched in such a way as to preclude their admission to Paradise, in accordance with Islamic belief. For example, a bullet to the head or the heart which has been slathered in dog or pig saliva should work. Needless to say, these subhuman beasts (no, not the dog or the pig who are donating their saliva) should be apprised of how they will meet their end, so that they will despair. And this should be the model for all future prisoner exchanges with Hezbollah and their ilk when Israeli corpses are offered as a swap for living murderers. Let this be the Israeli protocol from now on.
Posted by: commonsense at June 30, 2008 8:16 PM
"Methinks it would have been hilarious had the Mohammedans beheaded the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Somnath Chatterjee, et al"
Infidel Pride,
The vision made my day. Thanks. :)
at July 1, 2008 10:06 AM
"Lebanese premier says Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap reflects 'success' of militant group"
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/01/africa/ME-Lebanon-Israel.php
Posted by: arjun.sevak at July 1, 2008 10:22 AM
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