In a mistaken and potentially tragic vote this morning, the Israeli Cabinet voted to free 250 terrorists as a "goodwill" gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (via Arutz Sheva):

The government, in its Sunday morning weekly session, approved the release of 250 convicted Arab terrorists from prison, as a goodwill gesture to PA chief Abu Mazen. Only terrorists without "blood on their hands" are to be released.

Some of the terrorists being freed attempted to murder Israelis but missed their targets.

[. . .]

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted at the cabinet session that releasing the 250 terrorists will not convince Hamas and Hizbullah terrorists to free their IDF hostages. He explained that the move was a “good will” gesture to support Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas’s new government.

“I have come to the conclusion that releasing the prisoners will not affect the chances of bringing Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser home,” said Olmert. The families of all three captives are in France to attend a rally calling for the freedom of their loved ones, who were kidnapped in the south and north by terrorists last summer. The families will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Monday.

Not only will this prisoner release (not even an exchange) not win the freedom of the 3 Israeli soldiers who were abducted last summer, it's not even likely that it will help Abbas all that much:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) at their summit in Sharm el-Sheikh two weeks ago that he would release the terrorists. The Cabinet did not discuss the specific terrorists who are to be freed.

The General Security Service (Shabak) provided Olmert with a list of terrorists that could be released, but Olmert returned the list. He said it contained mostly terrorists who are to be freed within a short time in any event, and that releasing such terrorists would not help Abu Mazen.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter agreed, saying that the release of terrorists whose jail terms end within 2-3 years would actually hurt the PA chief. Dichter also noted that “none of the gestures we made since 1994 (releasing terrorists in exchange for Israeli hostages, dead or alive) ever resulted in any PA action against terror.”

So let's sum up this proposal:

(a) 250 incompetent terrorists will get a second chance to improve their skills;

(b) Israel gets nothing but grief in return;

and

(c) It probably won't even help to prop up a corrupt Fatah tyrant against his more aggressive Hamas rivals.

Gee, it sounds like a plan to me! Let's go for it!

Posted by: noburqa at 02:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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