The palestinians are demanding something for nothing again. SOP.
Associates of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have asked Israel to release 80 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture ahead of Abbas’ meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next week.
Palestinian sources told Ynet that in the framework of negotiations between the two sides prior to the meeting, the Palestinians demanded that 80 prisoners who are in poor health be freed.
According to the sources, such a move could help establish trust between Israel and the Palestinians, given the humanitarian aspect of the matter. If Israel consents, this may also help increase public support for Abbas and the peace process among the Palestinian public.
Palestinian prisoners confirmed the report, and said that PA officials ensured them they would attempt to promote the issue. The prisoners stated that one of the senior officials involved in the talks noted that “the Israelis have agreed to favorably weigh the issue.”
However, the prisoner release will apparently have no bearing on the subject of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and an exchange deal including Shalit may face further delays in light of the recent crisis in the PA.
The part that is truly galling: “such a move could help establish trust between Israel and the Palestinians.”
It isn’t the Israelis who need to establish trust. They’re not the ones firing rockets into palestinian territory every day.
Don’t do the deal. Something for something, or forget it.
I know it’s wrong, but whenever the Pals request a prisoner release I think about releasing them wearing remote-controlled suicide belts.
Here is the deal Mahmoud: One terrorist released in exchange for Gilad Shalit. If Abbas can’t produce him, what trust can Israel place in him? Time, past time, for the Palis to demonstrate that they can be trusted, because all their previous actions prove that they cannot be trusted.
Exchange Gilad Shalit, Mahmoud.
Well, nothing new here. The Israelis give up something tangible and substantial and the Palestinians say something nice for a day or so before returning to their bloodcurdling rhetoric and savage actions. Only Israeli intransigence prevents this deal from going through.
“However, the prisoner release will apparently have no bearing on the subject of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, “”
Goodwill gestures are a waste of time, effort, and kindness, which should be reserved for kind people engaged in honest negotiations, not genocidally bigoted barbarians.
Why does Abbas need propping up? He is their President, the leader of the most corrupt and powerful Palestinian Arab organization. He controls their propaganda machine and most of the security services.
HE should be propping OLMERT up, if he wants a peace partner.
The greatest blessing Israel could provide the Palestinian Arabs would be to expel them all from every corner of the Land, thereby liberating them from their soul-deadening servitude as agents of the anti-Western, anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic jihad.
By the way, the Palestinian leadership doesn’t really care is Israel comes up with a prisoner release. They only need to be seen by their own people as asking for it.
We pay much too much attention to what they say. Paying attention only to what they do will provide a much clearer picture of how malignant they are, and indicate what we really need to do TO, not FOR them.