November 2, 2013

The Release of Palestinian Prisoners Will Not Bring Peace

By Michael Curtis
Prime ministers in democratic countries frequently have the occupational hazard of having to make difficult and unpleasant decisions.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for over a year been confronted by the dilemma of making such decisions and concessions to the Palestinians in order to revive peace talks, brokered by the United States, between the two peoples. The concessions were made in July of last year, when the Israeli government agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners in four stages.  The government decision was upheld and approved by the Israeli Supreme Court in October 2013 after an organization of the bereaved Israeli families had challenged the government decision. The first 26 prisoners were released in August 2012; the second 26 were released on October 30, 2013.  All of the latter 26, 21 of whom come from the West Bank and 5 from the Gaza Strip, have been convicted of murder or attempted murder.  All the...(Read Full Article)