From the Jerusalem Post’s editorial today:

Having been clobbered during Operation Cast Lead, Hamas has for now stopped firing rockets into Israel, though it seems curiously unable to prevent infiltration attempts by other groups. Meanwhile, it continues to rearm, even if fewer weapons may be making it through the Philadelphi Corridor tunnels, thanks to enhanced Egyptian vigilance.

On Thursday, the Red Cross asked to see IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, now three years in Hamas captivity.

If the international community cannot influence Hamas to comply with so basic a humanitarian request, how can it credibly guarantee Hamas’s behavior once sanctions are lifted?

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themiddle

3 Comments

  • a simple answer:

    israel holds hundreds of palestinians, many of them underage in so called “administrative detention” without any trial or without even being charged with anything

    so hamas has more than earned the right to hold gilad shalit in whatever conditions they want to simply because israel doesnt deserve any better

    oh an israel admitted to holding the underage palestinians to force their parents to act as informers

    you people know this better than me, as your IDF buddies and they will confirm

  • Thanks for offering a ridiculous justification. Even if it’s a lie.

    Here’s the truth from March of 2009:

    The cabinet on Sunday voted in favor of imposing sanctions on Hamas prisoners held in Israel, in efforts to pressure the Islamist organization to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held captive in Gaza since June 2006.

    Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann recommended stripping the Palestinian prisoners of all privileges not anchored in Israeli or international law, such as an education, television, newspapers and radio.

    The Israel Prisons service announced at the weekly cabinet meeting that the recommendations will go into effect in the near future. The sanctions will include drastic limitations on family visits and the revocation of the opportunity to take high school matriculation exams or study at the open university.

    In addition to sanctions on entertainment media, the prisoners will be subject to stricter guidelines regarding the transfer of money for use at the prison canteen.

    Did the Palestinians agree with your version of the facts “Goy,” or the other version? Let’s read on:

    Mounir Mansour, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Committee, said Sunday that the Hamas prisoners were considering taking extreme measures in response, including an unlimited hunger strike in every Israeli prison. The prisoners’ families have also voiced readiness to take steps to identify with the prisoners.

    Mansour told Israel Radio that the Israel Prisons Service began revoking privileges several days ago, before the cabinet approved the move, especially at the prison in central Israel. Their personal belongings were seized, Mansour said, they were prevented from seeing their families, they were not allowed to watch several Arabic-language television channels and several prisoners were put in solitary confinement.

    Oh my gosh! Solitary confinement!! No television!! How terrible!

    Here’s a link to the article from Ha’aretz, in case you were planning to question the source.

    http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1074675.html

  • “Creating content takes to much time, that is why I don’t blog.” I have set up about a dozen blogs for real estate agents and of those I think 0 are actually still blogging today. That quote is the most common excuse I hear. Personally I don’t think it should take more than 20 minutes at the most to write a blog post, but How Long Should It Take To Create Content?