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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Israel refuses to release prisoners for tape of missing soldier
2007-01-08
JERUSALEM - Israel has categorically refused to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a recording of an Israeli soldier seized by militants in Gaza in late June, a senior official told AFP Sunday. “This proposition is completely unacceptable,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
He should have ended his statement with words along the lines of, "Shalit alive or Haniyeh dead."
Quoting senior officials, the Maariv daily reported Sunday that the Palestinian ruling Hamas movement had offered that a video tape of Corporal Gilad Shalit, which has been passed to Egyptian authorities, be handed over to Israel in exchange for the release of up to 250 Palestinian prisoners. The exact nature of the recording was unclear, with the Israeli media referring to it as a video and some officials calling it an audio tape.

The official told AFP that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected the proposal, saying that the recording “would add to the suffering of Gilad Shalit’s family.”
Not to mention opening themselves to being nickel-and-dimed on the transfer.
A senior Hamas official, Mussa Abu Marzuk, said on Thursday in Damascus that Shalit was alive and that a recording of him had been handed over to Israeli authorities.

Shalit, 20, was seized on June 25 in a cross-border raid carried out by three Gaza militant groups, including the armed wing of Hamas. Egypt has been mediating between Israel and the Palestinians over the servicemanÂ’s release.
Posted by:Steve White

#12  "Exchange his vid against a mixed set of hardcore Pr0n, the paleos will stampede over each others to be the first one to "confiscate it" in order to preserve gaza's muslim Purity."

Full-facial nudity would be enough of a trigger.
Posted by: Ebbeater Phinerong7477   2007-01-08 20:34  

#11  Well, according to the Paleostinians, one live Israeli soldier is worth over 1000 scumbag terrorists. I say if that soldier is dead, so should over 1000 scumbag terrorists. In an equally mysterious fashion.
Posted by: gorb   2007-01-08 19:40  

#10  Olmert shows spine, and my surprise meter doglegs another pointer.

My logic says he's dead. Israel should prepare a proper retaliation, like the first son of every non-vingin. The world would go nuts, the UN would be UNplugged, but what else can they do ? Pass a resolution ?
Posted by: wxjames   2007-01-08 18:30  

#9  They've previously traded a gaggle of prisoners for a hostage *corpse*, so why not?
Posted by: JSU   2007-01-08 13:49  

#8  Exchange his vid against a mixed set of hardcore Pr0n, the paleos will stampede over each others to be the first one to "confiscate it" in order to preserve gaza's muslim Purity.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-01-08 12:51  

#7  I think it would be appropriate to reply with an audio tape of 250 prisoners singing "we are the world"

That damn song could be crime and punishment all in one.
Posted by: flash91   2007-01-08 11:56  

#6  How about this? Israel makes a statement along these lines:

With all due respect and condolences to the Shalit family, from this day forward we will no longer negotiate for hostage release for any reason. Any release of prisoners currently held in Israeli detention facilities will be carried out in accordance with their respective sentences under sovereign law. Any deviation from this policy will be held on a “case by case” basis and will be a matter of public record and scrutiny. This policy applies especially to known terrorist and criminal organizations (or their affiliates) that have been proven to use extortion and other threats as a means of negotiation. Furthermore, any individual or organization that uses kidnapping or extortion as a means to further their nefarious activities will be subject to a “shoot to kill” order in the event that a rescue or repatriation operation is attempted. This new policy is intended to break any future cycle of kidnappings and hostage taking that has plagued this region for generations.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2007-01-08 11:31  

#5  At least Olmert showed a little spine.
I would start killing Paleo prisoners one per hour until I get the soldier back. I think he is dead, so the prisons would be less crowded by the time I was done.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-01-08 10:37  

#4  Hope you're wrong, SteveS.

But you're right in that it is an outrageous offer.

It may be that they truly understand that Israel deeply cares for the life of its citizens. Way more than paleos do. If so, that's what they're banking on (could you imagine if the offer were the other way around -- Israel offering a video of one prisoner for many from the paleos?).

If that's not what they're banking on, then they did expect to be rejected, making Steve's assumption all the more plausible.
Posted by: PlanetDan   2007-01-08 09:39  

#3  Simply astounding. And just when you think your contempt for the Paleos has maxed out. How about trading the video for a boxed set of 250 heads? The only reason I can see to make such a ridiculous offer is that Shalit is dead.
Posted by: SteveS   2007-01-08 09:29  

#2  "JERUSALEM - Israel has categorically refused to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a recording of an Israeli soldier seized by militants in Gaza in late June, a senior official told AFP Sunday."

I'd counter-offer with a boxed set of 250 Paleo prisoners helping the IDF with its enquiries, and throw in a copy of "Greatest Eid Stampedes Vol 1"
Posted by: Sneanter Hupavigum8610   2007-01-08 02:22  

#1  .... so for 1 video they want 250 Palos released?
.. Gee sounds fair to me..
scarc off
Posted by: Andrzej   2007-01-08 02:03  

00:00