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Jewish Blood is Cheap

I cried as I watched the Hamas held Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, return to his family while throngs of people waving Israeli flags and singing Am Yisroel Chai (the nation of Israel lives) danced outside. It was a great moment. I'm happy he's home.

The prisoner exchange that set Shalit free, I believe, we can label a valuable "teachable moment". What lessons were learned and what were taught?

We learned that Israelis believe that every life is precious. Israel willingly traded 1027 terrorists - hundreds of them serving multiple life sentences for cold blooded murder - in order to see Shalit returned safely home after over 5 years in captivity without even one International Red Cross visit.

It's an admirable idea - to care for each soldier as if he were everyone's son, brother, father - and since military service is compulsory - Shalit really does represent everyone. This is why we saw that 80% of Israeli's supported this exchange.

While we learned that Israel cares about the sanctity of life, and was willing to go to great lengths to save Gilad Shalit - we also taught the terrorists a very important lesson as well: Jewish blood is cheap.

In other words: Kill a Jew, serve a few years and go home a hero.

The modern state of Israel rose out of the ashes of the Holocaust with "Never Again" the watchwords of the Jewish State. With this exchange, "Never Again" became an empty slogan. The idea that Israel was to be a safe haven for Jews, that Jewish blood could never be spilled in vain, is gone.

Some of the most horrific crimes against the citizens of the Jewish state: the 2000 Ramallah lynching, the 2001 Sbarro pizzaria bombing, the 2001 Dolphinarium discotheque bombing, the 2002 Passover massacre bombing, bus bombings and so many more - those terrorists who perpetrated them, or who helped those who carried them out are being freed to carry out more attacks on innocent men, women and children.

Life is precious, however, an innocent life is certainly more precious than the life of a murderer. Until now, Israel has reserved the death penalty for Nazis. It's certainly way past time to put terrorists to death as well. By allowing these murderers (and some mass murderers) to walk free minimizes the deaths of those innocents who were killed by those same people.

What of the victim's families? Their pain never ends. As Sherri Mandel, whose 13 year old son was murdered, explains:

Most people don't understand the continuing devastation of grief: fathers who die of heart attacks, mothers who get sick with cancer, children who leave school, families whose only child was murdered. We see depression, suicide, symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. You wouldn't believe how many victims' families are still on sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. We see the pain that doesn't diminish with time. We literally see people die of grief.

In allowing these unrepentant murderers to go free, we see that terrorism truly does work. Every Israeli (and Jew) has now become a target for kidnapping. Calls for another Gilad Shalit have already begun. It's no surprise. Terrorism works. There is no down-side to kidnapping (or murdering for that matter) Jewish innocents. Kill as many Jews as you would like - you'll be free in a few years and you can do it all over again.

There needs to be a new lesson taught. That Jewish blood is not cheap. There must not be any murderers held in prison for life sentences awaiting the next exchange. They should be given a trial and executed if guilty. There must be a serious disincentive for spilling Jewish blood. If there isn't, G-d forbid, we are going to see future exchanges which will only result in more blood spilled.

"Never Again" must really mean Never Again.

New Math: 1027 = 1

The Simple Truth: They Want it All

The "Palestinians" are Talking War

We know that Hamas, the terrorist organization running the Gaza Strip, wants to destroy Israel and all Jews within. They have always been clear about their goals.

On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been considered the "moderate" wing of the "Palestinians" and that Israel has been negotiating with them - even offering over the years most, if not all, of Judea/Samaria (the West Bank) and half of Jerusalem.

We are finding out now what some have known all along - that the "Palestinians" are attempting to establish a state as a first step in the destruction of the entire State of Israel. We are hearing it in their own words.

Abbas Zaki [a senior member of the Fatah Central Committee, led by PA President Abbas] told the interviewer that any final status agreement between Israel and the PA “should be based upon the borders of June 4, 1967....everybody knows that the greater goal cannot be accomplished in one go....”

He noted that reaching the “greater goal” would be impossible initially, and that revealing it would not be smart: “If we say that we want to wipe Israel out, c’mon, it’s too difficult. It’s not [acceptable] policy to say so. Don’t say these things to the world,” he warned. “Keep it to yourself.”

Here we have more clarity from "Tawfik Tirawi, member of the Fatah Central Committee and a former commander of the Palestinian Authority's General Intelligence Force".

Tirawi told university students earlier this week that Fatah has never "thrown aside the rifle" – an indication that the faction could resume the "armed struggle option" against Israel.

His statement contradicts assurances by other Fatah leaders that they have completely abandoned the path of violence and seek a peaceful solution with Israel.

What happened to a "two-state solution" with a Jewish state and a peaceful "Palestinian" state living side by side?

If this is what is what negotiations are all about - taking Israel apart piece by piece - then negotiations must come to an end immediately. To ignore talk of war is stupid and downright dangerous. Continuing the farce of negotiations is unacceptable.

We know what the "Palestinians" want, and it isn't peace. It's time to accept the truth and stop fooling ourselves.

Palestinian Authority - "Wipe Israel Out"!

What if the Arabs said exactly what they meant - that the goal of negotiations was to destroy Israel? Well, they have. This article in the Jewish Tribune got my attention. This is a must read.

1949 lines Israel’s doom: Fatah official
Tuesday, 04 October 2011

JERUSALEM – A senior member of the Fatah Central Committee, led by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, in an interview referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and US President Barack Obama, as “dirtbags,” and explained how causing Israel to leave Judea and Samaria would spell its doom.

Abbas Zaki told the interviewer that any final status agreement between Israel and the PA “should be based upon the borders of June 4, 1967....everybody knows that the greater goal cannot be accomplished in one go.”

Israel claims that Abbas and numerous other PA Arab officials have made it clear in many ways that the “greater” and ultimate goal has been and continues to be the elimination of the state of Israel altogether, but this was an outright statement to that effect.

Zaki made his remarks during an interview on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television channel, which reaches millions of Arabs worldwide.

A video clip of Zaki’s remarks was translated by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute), a media watchdog organization that monitors Arabic-language media.

“If Israel withdraws from Jerusalem, evacuates the 650,000 settlers, and dismantles the wall, what will become of Israel? It will come to an end,” Zaki predicted.

“Who is nervous, upset and angry now? Netanyahu, Lieberman, and Obama.... All those dirtbags,” he said scornfully. “Why even get into this? We should be happy to see Israel upset.”

He noted that reaching the “greater goal” would be impossible initially, and that revealing it would not be smart: “If we say that we want to wipe Israel out, c’mon, it’s too difficult. It’s not [acceptable] policy to say so. Don’t say these things to the world,” he warned. “Keep it to yourself.”

For public consumption, Zaki advised Arabs to stick to the party line: “I want the resolutions that everybody agrees upon. I say to the world, to the Quartet, and to America: You promised, and you turned out to be liars.”

In his recent speech to the 66th United Nations General Assembly, Abbas referred to Israel as the “land of Jesus and Mohammed,” with no mention whatsoever of the ancient history of the Jews who dwelled there, preceding both, and who have maintained a continuous presence in the land to this day.

Knowing this should change everything - shouldn't it? If it's spoken in Arabic does it not count? Why not? Why is Israel being pressured to give away the historic lands of Judea and Samaria (West Bank)? In exchange for what? Destruction of the Jewish People?

Sure seems like it.