By Yoram Ettinger
Straight From The Jerusalem Cloakroom
July 18, 2008
1. Released terrorists, Hate-Education and the Real Middle East. The released terrorists are the product of Hate-Education, which has been the manufacturing-line of homicide bombers. Israeli and Western tolerance of Hate-Education perpetuates terrorism and war. Leaders who promote Hate-Education should be boycotted by western democracies. The positive/enthusiastic reaction – to the released terrorists - by Abu Mazen, Hamas, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and most of the Arab Middle East, constitutes Hate-Education. It represents their most authentic values and strategy in general, and their attitude toward the Jewish State in particular. It represents the unbridgeable gap of values between western democracies and Middle Eastern tyrannies, including the gap in the definition of “peace” and “compliance with agreements.”
2. Leadership. Prime Minister Golda Meir did not put herself in the shoes of a mother. Prime Minister Golda Meir sustained herself in the shoes of a leader. Prime Minister Golda Meir explained her rejection of a PLO-proposed swap (70 Palestinian terrorists for the 11 Israeli athletes during the Munich 1972 Olympic Games): “I shall never accept a proposition, which would transform Jews all over the world into prospective hostages in the hands of Palestinian terrorists!” Being a leader, Golda subordinated her own peace-of-mind to national security interests. Golda was aware that a leader – just like a judge - should disqualify himself if he were involved emotionally/personally in a court case…
3. Leadership VS Followership. Failed leaders follow – rather than shape – public opinion polls. Failed leaders succumb to domestic and external pressure, temptation, emotions.
4. Long-Term VS Short-Term. Leaders do not sacrifice long-term values and strategy on the altar of short-term emotional-diplomatic-political convenience and false-sense of security. Leaders ponder the potential impact of presently-released terrorists upon the escalation of future terrorism.
5. Learn from – don’t repeat – past mistakes. Precedents document rise in terrorism and bloodshed following each Israeli swap of terrorists (for live or dead Israelis), as highlighted by the 1985 swap of 1,500 Palestinian terrorists for 3 Israeli soldiers, which supplied many of the “generals” and “foot soldiers” to the 1987-1992 wave of Palestinian terrorism (1st Intifadah).
6. Terrorists Swap – No Virtue. The willingness to swap terrorists in exchange for civilians/soldiers may be construed as virtue by some Israelis and westerners, but it is construed as vacillation by Arab regimes. Deterrence and determination are the prerequisites for survival and peace in the Middle East. However, the willingness to swap terrorists is defined by Middle Eastern dictionaries as self-destruct appeasement, undermining deterrence, thus causing a setback to stability, security and peace. It constitutes fuel – and not water – to Middle East turbulence and terrorism. Concessions to terrorists, and submission to pressure, breed more terrorism and pressure.
7. Terrorist Swap – A Derivative of World View. Terrorist swaps reflect a world view, which goes through suspension of disbelief, distancing itself from the Real Middle East, while adhering to “The New Middle East” and/or contending that “There’s no military solution to terrorism,” “We’re tired of fighting and winning,” “The price of winning would be too high to both sides,” “Restraint is strength.” It is a reflection of ideological weakness and detachment from the values of Classic Israel, which enhanced the notion of “Can-Do Mentality” “Willingness to pay any price for liberty” and “The sky is not the limit.”
8. If the 2008 terrorist swap is right, could the Entebbe Operation be wrong?
