Militants on the move

A couple of weeks ago the Jerusalem Post asked a number of experts if Israel had restored its deterrence. Danel Pipes, for one, answered, “no.”

Deterrence is not something established by a single raid but through a persistent, protracted effort over years and decades. Israeli leaders laboriously built up such a reputation during the era 1948-93, only then to throw it away by adopting a policy of appeasement. It will take years of hard work – not yet begun, I might add – to reestablish the old deterrence. For now, Israel’s many enemies are feeling emboldened and aggressive.

News stories like this one demonstrate that Pipes is correct.

In a surprise move, about 80 Palestinians, including Hamas members and militants from other factions wanted by Israel, crossed from Egypt into the Gaza Strip before dawn on Sunday, according to Hamas and Israeli officials. The entry, through the closed Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border, was a result of what Hamas said was an agreement it made with Egypt. The Rafah crossing was closed in June after Hamas, which many consider to be a terrorist organization, seized control of Gaza, routing forces of its rival, Fatah. The closing of the crossing was meant in part to prevent militants outside the territory at the time of the Hamas takeover from moving freely into Gaza. Since the closing, anyone who wanted to enter Gaza from Egypt had to pass through Israeli territory.

The news isn’t interesting (and disturbing) only because of what happened. The entry of more terrorists into Gaza suggests that Hamas is planning a new offensive against Israel. It’s interesting in the way this was reported. Of course we have the standard weaselly “which many consider to be a terrorist organization” instead of “which fits the legal definition of a terrorist organization.” But what’s missing here is any mentions of how Egypt’s complicity in aiding an enemy of Israel constitutes a violation of its peace treaty with Israel. Of course it will be hard for Israeli officials to complain too loudly as the government has once again freed prisoners.

A convoy with 57 Palestinian left Ketziot Prison late Monday morning and started on its journey to Beitunya checkpoint, between Givat Ze’ev and Ramallah. At about 1.30 p.m. the prisoners will be freed at the checkpoint and transferred to the Palestinian territories. In total, 87 security prisoners are due to be freed Monday. Their expected release was delayed until President Shimon Peres completed the signing of special presidential pardons for 26 of them.

The reason for the release, of course was “confidence building measure.”

Olmert expressed the hope on Sunday that the prisoner release would help achieve progress in the peace talks and lead to a further reduction in the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He was addressing senior police and Israel Prisons Service officers in his succa at the prime minister’s residence. “I hope and am making great efforts so that the number of your inmates will be reduced, particularly the number of security prisoners – and I am not just talking about the 90 Palestinian prisoners set to be released tomorrow,” he said. “I hope that these efforts will lead us to a path [of peace] with the Palestinians and to a situation where one day our prisons will be less crowded with security prisoners who have tried to harm Israelis.” The cabinet agreed last month to free more Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to Abbas ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The detainees – 58 from the West Bank and 29 from Gaza – are mostly Fatah activists, and none of them are classified as “having blood on their hands.”

Of course these confidence building measures, do have their risks.

Each of the prisoners is required to sign a commitment not to engage in terrorism in the future. Two months ago, when some 250 terrorists were released in another good-will gesture, one terrorist refused to sign, and was returned to jail. The Almagor organization has documented dozens of cases in which terrorists freed by Israel have returned to active terrorism. Some of the prisoners had been sentenced to remain in jail until as late as 2012; one of them was arrested as early as 2002.

When are we going to see some sort of Palestinian “confidence building measure?” At least one that isn’t a hoax?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.

israel.