Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Hamas’ refusal to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross’ request for information about captured soldier Gilad Shalit by threatening to restrict privileges for terrorists held by Israel. The Shalit family applauded the prime minister’s gesture. While he did not specify what the restrictions on the prisoners would be, he did indicate he would move to end the ability of terrorists serving time in Israeli jails to pursue advanced academic degrees.
That brought forth a howl of protest from Hamas which said today any restrictions on those of its members who were caught after committing or aiding terrorist attacks on Israelis was beyond the pale. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said such a move would be “a violation of international law.” That a terrorist group that has held an Israeli captive for five years without ever allowing the ICRC access or even providing any proof of life in the last two years is outrageous. Yet such a stand is very much in keeping with the group’s belief anything it does is justified and any form of self-defense by Israel is illegal.
This issue highlights the hypocrisy not only of the terrorists themselves but the willingness of international activists to support Hamas’ efforts to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. As with arguments about Israeli counterattacks against Hamas missile firings from Gaza into southern Israel, the assumption appears to be Israel deserves to be attacked while Hamas ought to be held blameless for its behavior. That is the only explanation from the deafening silence from the international “human rights” community about Shalit’s plight.
Hamas’s intention here is to heighten the pressure on Netanyahu to pay an even larger ransom for Shalit. To date, the prime minister has resisted the overwhelming pressure from the Shalits and other Israelis who are even prepared to release convicted terrorist murderers to gain the soldier’s freedom. This is a complicated question, and no one should envy Netanyahu’s dilemma, but as Evelyn Gordon pointed out last year in her excellent COMMENTARY article on the subject, the costs of ransoming Shalit in this manner are far greater than many of us suspect. Netanyahu needs to demonstrate strength on this issue. And, as we noted yesterday, the United States needs to weigh in here too, to raise the ante with both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority and make them aware they will pay a price for Shalit’s ongoing plight.
