Saturday, August 05, 2006

...but it has to be a two-way street.

Yesterday, Mash decided to start a 'domino-post' in order to hopefully, participate in an online campaign to ask for the release of Ehud Goldwasser. See the previous post. Well, naturally, behind the scenes, Israel has dealt with Hezbullahs demands for the release of Lebanese prisoners. In the past, they did release prisoners, but the one that is topping the list, is still securely in an Israeli prison. This is his crime:
Samir al-Qantar, 44, was sentenced to over 500 years in jail after leading a four-man Palestinian raid at the age of 16 on Nahariya in northern Israel that killed two policemen, a civilian man and his 4-year-old daughter. Witnesses said Qantar smashed her skull with his rifle butt.
Now Hezbollah, the radical Shiite Muslim movement, has put Samir al-Qantar at the top of the list of Lebanese prisoners whose release it is demanding in exchange for two Israeli soldiers seized July 12 in a cross-border raid that touched off the current conflict. According to reports from Jerusalem, such a swap might be a part of an agreement to end the crisis being worked out at the United Nations
However, this swap might not seem to be in the works, due to the nature of the crime which was particularly heinous involving a 4 yr old child being killed in the manner that it was. Also, Samir apparently has never expressed regret or remorse, which of course never helps in order to redeem yourself somewhat. Because killing a child is a no no, where ever in the world you go. It's for a good reason Israel has gotten more flak recently for all the children in Lebanon that have been killed in a casual considered collateral dammage. After all, Hezbullah's rockets trumps everything, according to them, and demands full out response. I wonder if in their minds killing those children or heck, even civilians would be unacceptable, what kind of solution they could still come up with? I think Israel has the military capability to do away with Hezbullahs' rockets very easily, but the real goal of the campaign is not to protect Israel (if it was, Israel would have known better not to escalate because it would be expected for Hezbullah to continue), but to wipe out Hezbullah, and as we have seen, at all costs. This is not the first time in the history of this conflict that many many civilians have unnecessarily died and been killed. I myself attribute the hardened hearts on both sides to not even care about killing a child. But it has to stop, and it will probably only stop, after it has gone too far.
Let's hope it won't come to that. Instead, let's hope for some more people to break ranks and stand up against the unnecessary killing.


Breaking Ranks: Refusing to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
And also by rationale people like Osaid Rasheed.

7 Comments:

Blogger zazou said...

Good point, Ingrid. If Samir al-Qantar killed that child, especially in the way that he did, I don't see the point in a trade for him unless he serves time for murder in a Lebanese jailguaranteed. Once everything calms down, Lebanon and Israel should set up extradition treaties.

12:14 PM  
Blogger Ingrid said...

don't know if he'd should be in a lebanon jail or not but looking into whom exactly is asked for return of this prisoner or that prisoner is something that needs to be done, instead of just a blanket yes or no..
Ingrid

7:52 PM  
Blogger zazou said...

very true.

1:05 PM  
Blogger Osaid Rasheed said...

Is sameer Qentar sorry for doing what he did ? I am sure he is.

Why not releasing him especially after this long time in prison ? It is ethical from Hizbollah to demand his release. When Israeli soldiers are doing 'operations' and get caught, Israel would do its best to get them back..it wont be a matter of who killed who..
Am I right ?

The problem is NOT with this prisoner only..what about others..who are being kept for POLITICAL reasons ?
Your government is acting in a very weird logic. They think that they are always right, while we see many MANY mistakes in your political leadership.
Am I right ?

It is very astonishing how the israeli leadership is dealing with Hizbollah. Away from the political lies and propaganda, there is a WAR between the 2 sides. Israel expected to smash hizbollah in few days, they might have expected the Hizb fighters to go out from their villages and posts like the poor Palestinian National Authority police men did : Hands up, with pants only ! Things will never be the same as one expects or plans, why not act SMART and not make everyone enemies ?

??

Good day

10:33 AM  
Blogger Ingrid said...

Osaid, welcome to the blogger round table. I don't think that you will find (m)any disagreements here or on some of my friends' blogs. We have been disturbed to see the way Israel has proceeded which was, as you mentioned, indeed not very smart. We also feel that there are other interests at work and the ignorance of the current Bush administration coupled with their super hawk and, as they call it here, neo con outlook made for some really bad decisions. Israel has a virtual carte blanche to proceed any which way it wants, which I don't think is even good for the Israelis themselves. The people in power have their certain agenda and perceptions and it is difficult to break that up. Here are some sites other than the Osterly Times you'd enjoy; docstrangelove.com , make some noise from zazou (click on her name above your comment), is america burning (on the list of bloggers against torture) and donkeyphant (see to the right) just to name a view. I can imagine that you might think that all Americans support Israel no matter what but there are great sections that don't. I am personally interested to see a dialogue between Israeli bloggers and Lebanese and people from Gaza..if you are interested to join, you are most welcome. There are already three people on board.
Thanks for visiting Osaid, I wish you well, keep in touch,
Ingrid

11:37 AM  
Blogger Osaid Rasheed said...

Thanks ingrid

I will be tracking your posts and input

Who can joiun the blogroll ? Can I ?

7:14 AM  
Blogger Ingrid said...

Osaid, click on the bloggers against torture website in the blogroll as Elendil (who started the site) has a copy and paste ready scroll that you can put in your sidebar. Your site will automatically appear on the blogroll..no need to apply or anything..the idea is, we expect people to want to be against torture who join, there would be no other reason for signing up so..check it out..
if you have more questions, let me know..I am one of the guest writers on that site, you can also go to my profile and check on the bottom on the list of sites ..
Ingrid

9:59 AM  

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