Poll Results for the Week of July 30-August 5
Poll Question: Should Israel release terrorists as a pre-condition to peace talks?
Results:
96% = NO
4% = YES
From The Editor’s Desk:
Last week’s poll question was born from the announcement that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners, many with blood on their hands, ahead of, and during, the renewed peace talks. This was meant to be a sign of good faith to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and an favor to US Secretary of State John Kerry. The hope, according to Bibi in an open letter he sent to the Israeli public was that the difficult decision would ultimately lead to the greater means of a peace deal. The decision was met with fierce opposition, and continues to, by many in the Israeli public, especially the families of terror victims.
It would appear that the Breaking Israel News readership wholeheartedly agrees with the victim’s families as well.
Releasing prisoners with blood on their hands is a difficult decision even when something is received in return. Gilad Shalit, the soldier who was held in captivity in by Hamas for over five years, had his face plastered on every billboard, bus stop and newspaper in that five-year span. He was the poster-child for Israeli hope. When Bibi finally struck a deal with Hamas to release Shalit a day that should have been pure elation all across the Land of Israel was instead a day of bitter-sweet emotion and confused pits in the stomachs’ of the Israeli people. The price for Shalit was high because it included returning 1,027 prisoners, many with blood on their hands, and that is as bitter a pill to swallow for any Israeli.
The fact that Bibi has now agreed to release prisoners merely as a gesture of good-faith, when it is Israel who has made concession after concession, with absolutely no return from the Palestinians at all.
It was Israel who gave away the beautiful beach settlement bloc, Gush Katif, in 2005 , evicting its own people from their homes and handing it over to the Palestinians, who immediately desecrated the temples and other holy sites. Rocket fire from the region began shortly after.
It was Israel who traded terrorists for the dead bodies of two captive soldiers in 2008.
It was Israel who declared an unprecedented 10-month settlement freeze in 2009, in efforts to bring Abbas back to the table. Abbas came back for three days, said the 10-month freeze was simply not enough for him to bother talking peace, and walked out.
Now three years later, without a budge on their side, the PA is back and asking for more, and once again with a promise of nothing in return.
And Israel has acquiesced yet again!
It leaves one to wonder a number of highly pertinent questions:
What has Israeli leadership been thinking the past two decades?
Does Israel really have a current partner for peace?
Can and will Israel, and its leadership develop more respect for itself and how can lovers of Zion, from all over the world, help the Land of Israel get back on track?
-DK
Be Sure to Vote in This Week’s Poll – Let Your Voice Be Heard!
Do you think Jerusalem is an appropriate place to host a Gay Pride Parade?
