The Release of Gilad Shalit is The End of the 'Peace Process'

By Shoshana Bryen

To redeem captives is a Jewish imperative, so the Israeli government's decision to pay Hamas ransom for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit is not a surprise. Although the terms haven't materially changed in a year, the timing is not a surprise either. Shalit was captured in 2006 by Hamas while the Palestinian Authority (PA) was in control of Gaza. Following a brief, dirty civil war in 2007 Fatah was ousted, effectively splitting Palestinian leadership along geographic lines; both sides claim leadership of the whole. The US and the Quartet have courted Fatah and Abu Mazen, whose sole elected term ended in 2009. Turkey, Syria and Iran courted Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Mahmound Abbas received tens of millions of dollars, American training for the Fatah police force/nascent army, and Israeli economic cooperation and protection for the PA and its officials. Hamas, while embargoed by Mubarak's Egypt as well as Israel, received training, money and weapons from Iran, and political support from Turkey. In 2011, Mahmound Abbas raised his.... (Read Full Article)