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Commentary;
Barak of IRIS takes Kadima ministers to task yet again for proposing to change the ‘rigid standards’ of murder to exclude those who mastermind terrorist operations. And recent polls indicate that a majority, as high as 2/3rds of the Israeli public stands opposed to such definitional change, even in a deal for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, held hostage in gaza for 1 1/2 years.
Unfortunately, despite the monumental blunders and follies of two successive regimes, Israelis lack the backbone to do anything about either the current regime or the Israeli system of protexia government. The result of this spineless complacency may well be that Shalit freed in exchange for Marwan Barghouti and future considerations (more injured, maimed or dead Jews) MB
Poll: Israelis Oppose Releasing Terrorist Murderers, by Hana Levi Julian (Israel National News)
Excerpts;
According to two surveys conducted within the past week, the majority of the Israeli public opposes releasing terrorist prisoners with “blood on their hands.” Most Israelis oppose favor any major military operation to break Hamas’s stranglehold on Gaza.
A poll conducted Tuesday by the Hebrew-language Ma’ariv newspaper found some two-thirds of the Israeli public is adamantly opposed to freeing terrorist prisoners with “blood on their hands,” even in exchange for IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit.
Hamas has repeatedly demanded the release of hundreds of terrorist convicts, including Tanzim leader and arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, as ransom for Shalit. Barghouti is serving five life sentences for murdering five Israeli citizens and wounding dozens more in various terrorist attacks.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed a Cabinet committee this week to review the government’s criteria for freeing the criminals, including Barghouti, who is extremely popular among grassroots Palestinian Authority Arabs.
“Blood on their hands” currently applies to any terrorist who was involved in a fatal attack on Israelis, including the commander who gave the order, whether or not they personally carried out the attack. A terrorist who tried to kill Jews but failed is not labeled as having blood on his hands.