Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Shalit, Pollard, Road Terror and Jewish Leadership


On the surface, it looks like Netanyahu said no to the Hamas - albeit not explicitly. If that assessment is correct and Netanyahu is not simply employing delaying tactics to avoid releasing a particular terrorist, then we have witnessed a turning point in Israeli mentality. Israel is in the process of shedding the "peace process" mindset that has been forced upon it in the last generation. As long as we are in the midst of a peace process, what is wrong with freeing terrorists so that we may put an end to the suffering of the Shalit family? But if we are not in a peace process, but rather in a sophisticated form of war, then freeing terrorists is illogical.

Netanyahu saw the polls and knows that the general public is in favor of the deal to release a thousand terrorists for Shalit. But he also saw that he will receive no political dividends from the deal. On the contrary - according to the polls, the public's faith in him will actually decrease.

It is like a young child who is pestering his parents to give him a candy that will also give him a stomach ache. If we would take a poll, we would discover that the child is in favor of the candy - but that he is also opposed to the stomach ache. In any event, his thanks to his parents for the candy will quickly be transformed into anger over his stomach ache.

Both Gilad Shalit and Jonathan Pollard can be quickly redeemed without endangering our soldiers. But for that to happen, we need Jewish leadership that will proudly and fearlessly take the simple steps necessary to release our captives.
Until Israel connects to its Jewish values and mentality, we will not be able to release our captives. Click here for Moshe Feiglin's article "Why Isn't Gilad Shalit Home Yet?"


Feiglin: Supreme Court Decision to Open Road 443 Means More Potential Terror Deaths
Israel's Supreme Court decided to allow unfettered access to Highway 443. 443 is a major east-west artery connecting Modiin with Jerusalem and Tel Aviv; passing through the Binyamin region and alongside many Jewish communities. PA traffic on the road was restricted in 2002 due to numerous terrorist attacks on drivers - including sniper fire and firebombs. Even with the limitations and substantial barricades along the road, attempted attacks continue. The most recent incident occurred on December 17th, 2009. According to IDF sources, sounds of explosions led security forces to a location south of Ramallah where they found homemade explosive devices and plans detailing their use against Jewish drivers on Highway 443. Highway 443 follows the path of an ancient road that was the scene of many battles including the defeat of the Syrians by Judah Maccabee at the Battle of Bet Horon.

Moshe Feiglin, the leader of the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the Likud Party, slammed the Israeli High Court's decision to open Highway 443 to unrestricted traffic. "The decision to open the checkpoint at Shechem and to allow Palestinian Authority (PA) Arabs to travel on Road 55 directly brought about the murder of Rabbi Meir Chai last week. The latest High Court decision to open the main artery between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv gives murderers access to untold numbers of potential victims," Feiglin said. “This decision demonstrates, yet again, that the Supreme Court relentlessly carries out the ideology of the left.” Moshe Feiglin has repeatedly called for democratization of Israel's judicial system so that it would reflect the traditional Jewish values of Israel's majority.

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