Jonathan Pollard has been in a US prison for over 9000 days - an incomprehensible amount of time to be rotting in a jail cell. We have prayed, written letters, demonstrated and lobbied. But we cannot ignore this sad milestone.Gilad Shalit has been held captive for four years, just a stone's throw from the State of Israel. That is also incomprehensible.
Yes, things could definitely be different. The State of Israel could officially demand Pollard's release. Every meeting between Israeli officials and American representatives could begin with the Pollard issue. And Israel can also embarrass the US by revealing the identities of all sorts of American agents who spied here and were released, unharmed. But tragically, Pollard is not on Israel's official agenda.
The State of Israel can demand the release of Gilad Shalit at any price. At the price of the food that it transfers to Gaza, at the price of the electricity and water that it provides for Gaza, at the price of the millions of shekels in cash that it transfers to Gaza or at the price of the comfortable conditions that the Hamas prisoners enjoy in Israel. But tragically, the only price that the State of Israel is willing to pay is the release of one thousand murderers. That is not enough for the Hamas, of course. If the Israelis are such pushovers, why shouldn't they demand more?
No comments:
Post a Comment