Israel to free 250 Palestinian inmates as goodwill gesture

They were innocent political prisoners anyway, oh yes the Israelis are a disgrace and America should stop funding them.

HAHAHAH: What Israel dont understand is that the world no longer buy this crop about prison releases and the extent to which they are being generous and all that. Thats old hat, nobody respect those so called good will gestures any more. When it makes the news all it does is invoke yawns.

A real good will gesture is one that involves returning the dignity of the Palestinian people. Withdraw from the occupied territories, stop expanding their settlements on Palestinian land. Now there!

I'm glad to see the two above poet, I'm not the only one out here that questions Isreal's motives, period. < :-)

Let me see if I understand the three of you correctly...complain if Israel doesn't release prisoners and complain if they do.

Doesn't seem like a great strategy for gaining peace...but, hey, whatever floats your boat...

A real good will gesture is one that involves returning the dignity of the Palestinian people" Like the dignity that most of that lands people have given the Jews over the thousand plus years? . Withdraw from the occupied territories:" great idea, but to many if not most, the entire place is occupied, so we are heading towards that Israel shouldn't exist. Shouldn't but not regarding that it does.. And if the 67' borders were so important perhaps they should have thought what they would lose before Israel was attacked on three fronts

stop expanding their settlements" Now that I agree, all they are doing is proving cannon fodder.

I am old enough to remebemeber Resolution 242. Check up on it someof you pro Isarael people here. Israel does things for show,not goodwill, the nation is souless and behaves wickedly.

Okay, a "goodwill gesture", small as it is, should be praised, though lightly and in passing. It must not be forgotten that this token is being given in the midst of an humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Israel knows what it is doing an knows that even though it has banned journalists from the Gaza Strip the world knows the horror it is creating.

Even as Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Jerusalem, Gaza militants were firing rockets

How foolish for Israel to provide a good will gesture while Jihadists are firing rockets into their country. The only gesture Israel should be providing is that of putting these Islamic terrorists out of business. Thank goodness Olmert is leaving and perhaps someone with some cajones can take over.

So why aren't the oil-rich Muslim Arab nations helping their "Palestinian" brothers? Is the propaganda simply just too good, as evidenced by the posts of gullible first-world leftists?

Jean,

It don't even think of this as a 'goodwill' gesture. It is, or it should be, a small path towards peace. It seems that whenever either side makes even the slightest move towards peace, many jump up to criticize or make little of it. There is so little to celebrate in the Middle East now. This is better than leaving these 250 in jail.

What would be even better is for the Palestinians and Israelis to both sit down and talk, really talk, to each other and not stop until they can make compromises that lead to a deal that creates peace for all sides. Hamas needs to be fully on board and then they can have the nation they are supposed to have been fighting for all this time.

'Harold', 242 has nothing to do with this anymore. The reality on the ground and in the minds of the people on the ground are all that matter now. There will be no peace until there is a true will for peace.

I am old enough to remebemeber Resolution 242. Check up on it someof you pro Isarael people here. Israel does things for show,not goodwill, the nation is souless and behaves wickedly."

I checked it as you requested and there many opposing views on what the wording means. "Some people read 242 as though it ends here and the case for requiring a total Israeli withdrawal from the territories is proven. On the contrary, this clause does no such thing, because the reference clearly applies only to an offensive war. If not, the resolution would provide an incentive for aggression. If one country attacks another, and the defender repels the attack and acquires territory in the process, the former interpretation would require the defender to return the land it took. Thus, aggressors would have little to lose because they would be insured against the main consequence of defeat." additionally, there are issues of other area that were captured, re-captured, re-re-captured, ........

As for doing anything just for the "show of it", well that's stupid because it makes them look stupid if you ask me.

The Palestinians are not mentioned anywhere in Resolution 242. They are only alluded to in the second clause of the second article of 242, which calls for "a just settlement of the refugee problem." Nowhere does it require that Palestinians be given any political rights or territory. In fact, the use of the generic term "refugee" was a deliberate acknowledgment that two refugee problems were products of the conflict-one Arab and another Jewish. In the case of the latter, almost as many Jews fled Arab countries as Palestinians left Israel. The Jews, h

however, were never compensated by the Arab states, nor were any UN organizations ever established to help them.

I'm glad the Palestinians are home, but Isreal sent them home because they can't afford to feed them any longer. < :-)

Let me see if I understand the three of you correctly...complain if Israel doesn't release prisoners and complain if they do.

I don't think people are complaining about the release, but at the fact that it is touted as a goodwill gesture.

Imagine if I burn your house down, kill your wife, rape your daughter. But as a goodwill gesture, I return your goldfish. Would people be praising this goodwill gesture? Would any media report this with "goodwill gesture" in the headline? If Israel wants to show real goodwill, they should release all prisoners, return all stolen land, and compensate the Palestinians big time for all their suffering.

I don't think people are complaining about the release

Only the less informed. Israel has released "Palestinian" terrorists in the past, only to have them return to commit more murder against the "Infidel". Hamas terrorist Ahmed Yassin is a perfect example of the stupidity of prisoner releases like this. After being released from prison in 1997, he orchestrated the subsequent Intifadas including the use of suicide bombers and Qassam missiles against Israeli cities . Fortunately, an Israeli Hellfire missile vaporized him, though they waited way too long to send this Islamic Jihadist to his virgins.

I burn your house down, kill your wife, rape your daughter.

Pretty much sounds like a typical day in the life of a Muslim Arab.

return all stolen land, and compensate the Palestinians big time for all their suffering." Sabi, please inform me what land was actually stolen and not won?

How much of that land once owned by Jews that was taken from them under the Ottomens and then re-taken by the Jews? What land there was never, ever own by any Jews?

Now, I am asking a question and I would prefer a direct answer. Prior to the establishment of Israel Jews went under some harsh times as well, why no call for their suffering.

'sabiwabi',

You consistently produce meaningless analogies to what you perceive is the situation in the Middle East. In addition, you consistently provide meaningless 'solutions'. It is these kinds of solutions that help things stay exactly as they are. For example, you coyly make suggestions as to what Israel should do, knowing full well that your only real suggestion is for Israel to stop existing.

Again, I repeat, you specifically complain if Israel releases prisoners and if they don't. You don't want to see a solution, thus no real solution will ever be apparent to you. Fortunately, there are some in the world with more compassion than that. Hopefully, they will someday be the ones leading talks towards peace.

Both sides have been hurt by the continued violence. The only solution is to ignore the voices of hatred (such as yours) and move purposefully toward a real peace for both nations.

"kinniku"

My comments appear meaningless to you because you continue to refuse to see the extent of the atrocities committed by the Israeli side. Fortunately, there are some in the world with more compassion than that.

Both sides have been hurt by the continued violence.

That sounds so "fair and balance", ala FOX News!

Sabiwabi

That sounds so "fair and balance"

And what exactly would you call the neo-Nazi websites you use as sources in your posts? Actually, they might be Islamist websites, but I repeat myself..

"sabiwabi",

Your attempts at analogies do not only appear to be meaningless, they are in fact quite meaningless for we are not talking about individuals, we are talking about two nations. Rules for nations are quite different than they are for individuals. Nations act and react quite differently than individuals.

Attrocities have been committed on both sides. It is solely because of your extremist bias that you cannot or will not allow yourself to see it. Extremism is what has kept things as they are.

I feel for the Palestinians and hope with all my heart that their nation will soon be a complete and peaceful reality. Your extremism does not allow you to wish the same for the Israelis. That is your weakness. That is the weakness of extremism. It is the inability to see both sides and to see even the slightest positive movements towards peace and acknowledge them.

When I mentioned that both sides have been hurt by the violence, you respond with the trite: 'That sounds so "fair and balance", ala FOX News!' I find that rather ironic since it was you who incorrectly claimed that Aljazeera was owned and operated by Fox News. I also find it ironic because you use Fox News as a source when it suits you. This is true for all of the so-called western media you are always complaining on and on about. You say we should not trust them, yet you constantly use them when you feel it fits your argument. Sorry, not convincing at all...

Regardless, the fact is that both sides suffer both pyschologically and physically from the endless fighting.

I can't say I understand why some people want to criticize Israel for releasing prisoners. To me that sends a message that Israel should stop releasing prisoners because people will choose to hate them just the same (ie no benefit).

kinniku: [sabiwabi's] extremism does not allow you to wish the same for the Israelis. That is your weakness.

That's the difference. Some people want peace, some people want one side to "win" and the other side to "lose." Those are the people who work every day to guarantee that there will never be peace in the area.

"Israel knows what it is doing an knows that even though it has banned journalists from the Gaza Strip the world knows the horror it is creating."

6 million innocents killed. The world knows that European anti-Semitism, German and French in particular, is why Israel was finally created

That's the difference. Some people want peace, some people want one side to "win" and the other side to "lose."

If someone steals and murders, they should at the very least return the stolen property and compensate as much as is feasible for the murders.

6 million innocents killed.

By Palestinians?

We are not talking about 'someone'. We are talking about two nations. When you refer to 'returning stolen property' it is apparent that you mean that Israel should not exist anymore for you have stated on numerous occasions that you would personally not be satisfied with even a withdrawal to the pre-67 War lines. So, it seems you are not able to discuss the actual situation realistically.

By Palestinians?

If you had your way, yes...it seems so. For you are claiming the only solution is for Israel to not exist. Rational people realize the folly of what you are claiming is the only solution (the final solution) to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

If you were fair and balanced as you seem to want to claim, you would realize that there is pain enough on all sides and that the only solution is peace not more of your type of rhetoric.

6 million innocents killed. By Palestinians? If you had your way, yes...it seems so.

There you go again, assuming that returning stolen property or stolen land (or even the complete disappearance of Israel) means the killing of Israelis.

Moderator: Stay on topic please.

I have no idea what you are saying when you say, 'There you go again' as I have never brought this particular subject up before. Are you having trouble keeping up with who you are having discussions with?

Again, you insist upon using completely unrelated events to create meaningless analogies. The people living in the USSR were the same people living in the same places as they were when the USSR disappeared. Here we are talking about two nations at war and you are suggesting one nation should disappear.

Furthermore, there has been land and property stolen and killings on both sides. However, you provide no balanced solutions. You only provide your biased, unbalanced solution in which you would have one nation remain and one disappear. It is unrealistic.

Sorry, I shut the window by accident...

The bottom line is that freeing these 250 Palestinians should be well received by those who truly wish for positive things to happen. I can not see any way that this development is bad for the Palestinians.

However, SuperLib brings up an excellent point that people not being able to see this as a positive does basically send a message to Israel that there may be no point to such actions because it won't change anything anyway...

This is not a case where we have 2 nations that suddenly started fighting. We are dealing with one nation (Palestine) that was invaded and most of its people kicked out of their land by a bunch of terrorists with the backing of the governments of major powers. For several decades, the invaders have continued to expand, stealing more land, killing and terrorizing more Palestinians. These are facts you continue to ignore. The only reason this has continued in this manner is that western media portrays this conflict in the same distorted way as you do.

there has been land and property stolen and killings on both sides.

How do you expect to be taken seriously with comments like that?

kinniku

The only road left to the Israelis and Palestinians is the one that leads toward peace.

Well said. But to have peace, the Muslim Arabs must accept Israel's right to exist. Therein lies the fundamental problem. This isn't really about land or the "Palestinians". It's about Islam and its intolerance of the Infidel's presence in the heart of the Middle East. Jews have already been ethnically cleansed from the Mulsim Arab nations.

We can't move toward peace until the terrible crimes have been addressed.

On both sides...yes. One-sided...no. It is not enough to address the concerns of only one side in this conflict, unless one has as their goal the continuation of the violence between Israelis and Palestinians. You seem to be demonstrating that you prefer the continued violence rather than side by side peace. Why would that be? To me, such thinking is not only unrealistic, but it is one of hopelessness.

Helter Skelter,

It's about Islam and its intolerance of the Infidel's presence in the heart of the Middle East.

This is something rather new in Palestinian politics. Palestinians have generally been rather secular until recently. Arafat went through the motions, but he was more concerned with political issues than religious ones. The increasing influence of Hamas has changed the Palestinian landscape considerably however.

However, I should add that I still believe the majority of Palestinians are secular. It is just that Hamas has provided a great deal of charity and education to Palestinian people in need and this has been extremely (in more meanings than one) effective in gaining support from average Palestinians in Gaza. Hizbollah has had a similar effect on the situation in Lebanon. Unfortunately, Hamas seems unable or unwilling to move beyond the rebel mode and into a responsible government mode.

We are talking about the present situation on the ground in both Palestine and Israel. Your view of history is extremely one-sided. Right now on the ground we have two nations fighting. You seem to favor continued fighting with one side eventually losing. I prefer to see the two sides make peace and live side by side. I support the Palestinian cause and the right of Israel to exist. You seem to have an unreasonable hatred to anything remotely related to Israel and you seem to find it unreasonable that there be peace between the two nations with both nations living side by side. Sorry...there is nothing reasonable to be taken seriously in your argument.

You consistently write completely incorrect statements and present them as if they are facts. For example: you write that Israel is stealing more land. This is not true. Israel has not expanded its control outside of the borders it has controlled for quite some time. In fact, with the extraction of the IDF from Gaza, the area that Israel 'controls' should have been reduced further...

Yes, Israel has created more settlements on occupied land. However, when the land becomes part of a Palestinian nation, the settlements will be gone. Before you try and claim otherwise, witness Sinai and Gaza. There are no longer Israeli settlements in either.

You asked how I expect to be taken seriously my comment that there has been land and property stolen and killings on both sides. However, the problem is that you just refuse to see the problem on both sides because you do not seem to think it is a bad thing if people are killed or if property is stolen on the Israeli/Jewish side. Again, that is a strange concept of fair and balanced. You have history of writing very negative things related to Jews and Israel. So, how is it that you expect anyone to think you are impartial about this discussion.

Anyway, as the occupying power, Israel has a number of legal obligations it continues to ignore. Unfortunately, the world powers also continue to ignore this. It is very clear the Israelis want all Palestinians out of there and they will never stop until they have accomplished this. The Palestinians must chose between leaving (if they can) or put up some resistance with the little they have. This is not a simple conflict between two nations. You seem to have no idea what the Palestinians are really going through.

I agree 100% that as the occupying power that Israel has obligations to the West Bank...some of which they follow and some that they don't. However, with regard to the Gaza Strip the matter is quite different now. The Gaza Strip is no longer occupied by Israel. There are no Israeli troops stationed in Gaza. Gaza is run and governed mainly by Hamas. Yes, Israel has closed the border with Gaza. This happens to be an action that I don't think is a good one, nor do I think it will help the situation. However, Egypt also has its border closed. They are not anxious to have an open border with Hamas for any long period of time, either.

You claim that the only choices for the Palestinians are to put up resistance (by which I assume you only mean violent resistance as you seem to be against negotiations) and for Palestinians to leave. I disagree completely. The only choice either side has is to negotiate with sincerity with the sole purpose of the negotiations being Israel and Palestine side by side in peaceful existence. It is a simple conflict between two nations. I have shown my sincerity over and over again by saying I understand the suffering that both sides have been through and continue to go through for the sake of their governments alternating refusal to sit down at the table of brotherhood.

These prisoners that have been released are a sign that things can get better. Nothing you write can change the fact that an Israeli nation and a Palestinian nation is the best thing that could happen for both peoples, the region and the world...

I dont think that that plan is going to work out. After taking over their land, raping their women, killing them for so many years under the media. I believe that the Palasinians are very angry and will except more than just that to settle things down. And for the prisoners, they should stay back in jail.