By the way, the last edition of The Jerusalem Post ran an advertisement headed “Israel’s next leader is Moshiach”(the Messiah). It said, “Moshiach is now in Tel-Aviv.” The advertisement advised that the USA and Canada would sink under water on March 17, 2014. The ad suggested that mega earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes were coming. Resurrections are on the way! If you like that one, I’ve got some land at the South Pole I would love to sell you. I believe the street name for that problem is “The Jerusalem Complex,” given to the multitudes who show up annually claiming to be the messiah.
However, it is worth noting that many, many Israelis have paid a high price for the current negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinians. With the American government shut-down because of the childish struggle between Democrats and Republicans (which I would be delighted to address but that’s not what this blog is about), the focus of all media is currently locked on Washington. However, negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians continue.
Little attention has been given to the price paid in Israel to start these current conversations. It is worthwhile to stand back for a moment and remember what it took for the Israeli public to go along with these talks.
Yoram Cohen, the head of the Shi Bet (an Israeli security organization) advised the cabinet that these 104 prisoners would probably return to terrorist acts as the years go by.
Israeli protestors gathered outside of the Israeli Prime Minister’s office on July 27 to protest against the release of Palestinian prisoners. Wearing the traditional Palestinian keffiyehs, they held up their hands covered with fake blood to remind the world of the price they were personally paying. During the cabinet meeting to discuss the release of these terrorists, Prime Minister Netanyahu reminded everyone that he knew well the price that was being paid. His brother Yani was killed in the Entebbe raid to release hostages being held to negotiate the release of terrorists. Netanyahu was injured in a raid on a Sabena airplane that was hijacked in order to force the release of terrorists. Everyone knows that the families who lost their children because of terrorism will grieve over the release of 104 Palestinian terrorists necessary to start the negotiations.
Obviously, Hamas and Fatah continue to attempt to kill each other. Torture and ill-treatment is part of daily life in Gaza. In contrast to Israel, life seems to be cheap in the Palestinian world.
The point is that the price paid to start negotiations has rippled through the entire Israel society. If the talks fail, the prisoners that have been released to date will still be free. It’s a fact worth remembering as the talks continue.
On second thought, it would be nice if that advertisement proclaiming the Moshiach had come were true. It certainly might help push matters along.
Dr. Robert L. Wise 