A crucial point to keep in mind: the 33 hostages to be released over the next 6 weeks - including as many dead bodies as Hamas judges it can get away with - are all civilians - two babies, women, older men, and two mentally ill civilians who entered Gaza a decade ago - except for five noncombat female teen soldiers.
Let that sink in. Innocent civilians from babies to grandparents and unarmed female IDF border observers, abducted and horribly mistreated for the past 15 months.
The price to “bring them home”?
1) The release of 1900 terrorists from Israeli jails of whom hundreds are convicted murderers, who will most certainly go on to kill again, PLUS
2) withdrawing from certain areas in Gaza, thereby allowing Hamas to reconstitute in these areas, PLUS
3) allowing Gazans to return to northern Gaza where as yet still buried weapons caches await their new masters, and still intact terror tunnels to be reoccupied, PLUS
4) increasing aid flow into Gaza so Hamas can steal even more and further cement their hold on the populace.
And that’s just Phase One.
At what point does the permanent removal of Hamas as a governing and military force occur, thereby allowing for Biden’s vaunted “the day after”?
The incredible success of such civilian abductions - low cost and high reward for the average fanatical jihadist - will only incentivize such hostage taking in the future, both in Israel and around the world. This is simple psychology and should come as no surprise to any rational person. Citizens of other liberal democracies are advised to keep this in mind when contemplating the various nefarious actors who threaten their own countries.
It is truly tragic that minimal effort has gone into finding the proper disincentives to both taking and holding hostages by those to whom martyrdom is not a deterrent either for themselves or their families.
In so many things in life we like to analyze the winning strategy of winners. Why are pro-gaza people so interested in loss,losers, and a loosing strategy? This situation is perpetuated by the losers who live off government paychecks doing horrible things at the UN. It needs to stop. If it were a pro sport it would have no attendance and would sell no toothpaste or automobiles or vacuum cleaners.
In the point of who this is about, we (Canadians, Americans, European) have to look at what have our societies become and what we want them to be. How we have emptied our own values and betrayed our cultural mosaic. How, in the name of tolerance and inclusion, we have let intolerance and segregation reign supreme. What are we going to do about that? Here in Canada, not in Gaza or Judea and Samaria, not in Yemen or Syria. Here, in Canada...
Thank you Pat. Every article you write is thoughtful and insightful. A bonus that these articles are a reminder that we have wonderful friends and allies.
May the hostages saved, and any innocent lives saved, be an example of what is good to all those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
May the hypocrisy of the pro-Hamas crowds be exposed in the stark light of truth: Israel, for all its flaws, upholds values of human dignity, whereas the cynical martyr economy war of Hamas is one of the most comprehensive human rights abuses in history.
Although much of what you say is correct, especially the part about the western world's complicity in the disaster by hammering Israel, your conclusions only obfuscate the issue and negate the factual part of your analysis. Contrary to what you claim, not everyone has been changed forever by the war in Gaza over the past fifteen months. The Palestinians in Gaza who started the war are jubilant over the current hostage and eventual peace deal because their hatred of Israel and determination to eliminate it have not changed one bit and in the end they shall be free to start all over again. Anyone in his or her right mind who has witnessed the events that have unfolded since October 7 will know that the Palestinians cannot be allowed to stay in Gaza, Judea or Samaria any longer, for they represent a daily murderous threat to Israeli citizens. Palestinian self-determination is a lie that even the Palestinians admit they do not believe in, except as a slogan to batter Israel and destroy it. The startling takeaway from this "deal" is that there are still many Israelis who accept the idea that one day they will live in peace with the Palestinians and this "deal" will enable them to return to the status quo ante, but with greater vigilance. This is a pipe dream. The people you call extremists are the only realists and only the realists will prevent another round of bloodshed. Both sides definitely do not need to win some and to lose some. The Gazans need to lose everything, as do the Muslims in Judea and Samaria. But at least in losing the land they will retain their lives and move on to build something worthwhile if they choose to do so. Anything else is a prescription for round two, and round two may well wind up being a bloodbath of tremendous proportion.
A crucial point to keep in mind: the 33 hostages to be released over the next 6 weeks - including as many dead bodies as Hamas judges it can get away with - are all civilians - two babies, women, older men, and two mentally ill civilians who entered Gaza a decade ago - except for five noncombat female teen soldiers.
Let that sink in. Innocent civilians from babies to grandparents and unarmed female IDF border observers, abducted and horribly mistreated for the past 15 months.
The price to “bring them home”?
1) The release of 1900 terrorists from Israeli jails of whom hundreds are convicted murderers, who will most certainly go on to kill again, PLUS
2) withdrawing from certain areas in Gaza, thereby allowing Hamas to reconstitute in these areas, PLUS
3) allowing Gazans to return to northern Gaza where as yet still buried weapons caches await their new masters, and still intact terror tunnels to be reoccupied, PLUS
4) increasing aid flow into Gaza so Hamas can steal even more and further cement their hold on the populace.
And that’s just Phase One.
At what point does the permanent removal of Hamas as a governing and military force occur, thereby allowing for Biden’s vaunted “the day after”?
The incredible success of such civilian abductions - low cost and high reward for the average fanatical jihadist - will only incentivize such hostage taking in the future, both in Israel and around the world. This is simple psychology and should come as no surprise to any rational person. Citizens of other liberal democracies are advised to keep this in mind when contemplating the various nefarious actors who threaten their own countries.
It is truly tragic that minimal effort has gone into finding the proper disincentives to both taking and holding hostages by those to whom martyrdom is not a deterrent either for themselves or their families.
You are horrifically correct, Liora. You have laid it out perfectly. I do not know what happens next. I hope for the best -- against my instincts.
Thank you for your thoughtful writing and observations. I look forward to and appreciate every one of your essays.
Thank you Rikki. Your words mean a lot to me.
If we genuinely believe in peace. .....
So laughable, one side glorifies death in the guise of Martyrdom , the other worships life and humanity.
One sick side wants a Caliphate with slaves, one wants to preserve a homeland.
Need I say more.
In so many things in life we like to analyze the winning strategy of winners. Why are pro-gaza people so interested in loss,losers, and a loosing strategy? This situation is perpetuated by the losers who live off government paychecks doing horrible things at the UN. It needs to stop. If it were a pro sport it would have no attendance and would sell no toothpaste or automobiles or vacuum cleaners.
Interesting idea. May I riff on it?
In the point of who this is about, we (Canadians, Americans, European) have to look at what have our societies become and what we want them to be. How we have emptied our own values and betrayed our cultural mosaic. How, in the name of tolerance and inclusion, we have let intolerance and segregation reign supreme. What are we going to do about that? Here in Canada, not in Gaza or Judea and Samaria, not in Yemen or Syria. Here, in Canada...
Thank you Pat. Every article you write is thoughtful and insightful. A bonus that these articles are a reminder that we have wonderful friends and allies.
Thank you Donna.
May the hostages saved, and any innocent lives saved, be an example of what is good to all those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
May the hypocrisy of the pro-Hamas crowds be exposed in the stark light of truth: Israel, for all its flaws, upholds values of human dignity, whereas the cynical martyr economy war of Hamas is one of the most comprehensive human rights abuses in history.
From your lips to ...
Although much of what you say is correct, especially the part about the western world's complicity in the disaster by hammering Israel, your conclusions only obfuscate the issue and negate the factual part of your analysis. Contrary to what you claim, not everyone has been changed forever by the war in Gaza over the past fifteen months. The Palestinians in Gaza who started the war are jubilant over the current hostage and eventual peace deal because their hatred of Israel and determination to eliminate it have not changed one bit and in the end they shall be free to start all over again. Anyone in his or her right mind who has witnessed the events that have unfolded since October 7 will know that the Palestinians cannot be allowed to stay in Gaza, Judea or Samaria any longer, for they represent a daily murderous threat to Israeli citizens. Palestinian self-determination is a lie that even the Palestinians admit they do not believe in, except as a slogan to batter Israel and destroy it. The startling takeaway from this "deal" is that there are still many Israelis who accept the idea that one day they will live in peace with the Palestinians and this "deal" will enable them to return to the status quo ante, but with greater vigilance. This is a pipe dream. The people you call extremists are the only realists and only the realists will prevent another round of bloodshed. Both sides definitely do not need to win some and to lose some. The Gazans need to lose everything, as do the Muslims in Judea and Samaria. But at least in losing the land they will retain their lives and move on to build something worthwhile if they choose to do so. Anything else is a prescription for round two, and round two may well wind up being a bloodbath of tremendous proportion.