Coming February 6, 2024 . . .
MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop
Coming February 6, 2024 . . . MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE by Michael Wolraich Pre-order at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop |
Gilad Schalit is scheduled for release tomorrow, in exchange for approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Outside of the Middle East, millions of "progressives" in Europe and North America, among other places, laud those whom Israel is releasing as freedom fighters, including the Palestinian woman who is the subject of the article I link to, Ahlam Talimi, who participated in the bombing of a pizza parlor in Jerusalem (West Jerusalem for the sake of those who deem it significant) in 2001 that killed 16 innocent civilians. That heinous act, which many seek to justify for this or that reason, was one of dozens of incidents during the Second Intifada that killed more than one thousand Israeli civilians in a nation that at the time had less than seven million citizens. That heinous act, among others, led to Israel's installation of a security fence, which many folks, from their armchairs and in the comfort of their safe and secure homes far, far away from Israel and the occupied territories, liken to an apartheid wall or that which housed the Jews of Warsaw during WWII.
Whatever.
The fact remains that roughly 80 percent of the Israeli population favors the deal to bring Gilad home, and the price is painful, and to many parents and family members of the victims it is devastating. Personally, I am glad Schalit is coming home and I favor the deal Israel has made for his release. But I also wretch when I hear and read from those who condemn Israel for that fence, even though I too wish it was not there and look to the day when it is no longer need.
In any event I think the most important point is that anyone who believes that the Second Intifada has not impacted on the willingness of the Israelis to make sacrifices should think again, and think some more. Sad, but true, and oh so very real.
Bruce S. Levine
New York, New York
Comments
When I first heard of this deal, my thoughts were that this would only increase the value in capturing future Israelis. I don't have an answer, so my criticism is necessarily suspect, but I do wonder if this was the best solution.
by Verified Atheist on Mon, 10/17/2011 - 8:10am
Thanks VA. From my armchair I guess I think it's the best solution for the reason that a huge majority of Israelis favor bringing Schalit home. But I guess, in the end, the best solution is a peaceful, two-state solution for both Palestinians and Israelis. Whether this helps move them toward that eventuality remains to be seen.
by Bruce Levine on Mon, 10/17/2011 - 8:31am