“Madness!” That’s how Meir Schijveschuurder describes the deal in which Israel will release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a single Israeli soldier. Meir lost his parents, two sisters and a brother in a bomb attack in Jerusalem in 2001. The woman behind the bombing is one of those to be freed as part of the deal. An Israeli court has rejected the family’s objection to the release.
This morning Israelis were glued to their television screens to witness the release of soldier Gilad Shalit. But there are also serious concerns about the price being paid for his freedom: almost 500 Palestinians are being released today, followed by another 500 in two months’ time.
Humanitarian issue
Until the bitter end, the families of victims of Palestinian terrorist attacks tried to derail the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. They are afraid that the Palestinians released will go on to carry out more attacks.
“I believe that around 1,000 people have died in Palestinian terrorist attacks over the last 20 years. Quite a few of those responsible are now being released,” says Ronnie Naftaniel, Director of the Israel Centre for Information and Documentation CIDI.
“For instance, five members of the Dutch-Israeli Schijveschuurder family were killed in an attack ten years ago. These kinds of dilemmas are relevant today because – to a large extent – this is a humanitarian issue.”
Fit of rage
Mr Naftaniel is referring to the bombing of a pizzeria in Jerusalem in 2001. The blast claimed the lives of Motty and Tsira Schijveschuurder and three of their children, along with those of ten others in the restaurant. Another 130 people, including two more of the Schijveschuurders’ children, were injured.
Palestinian Ahlam Tamimi was given 16 life sentences for planning this attack. She is believed to have handed the bomb to the man who later committed the suicide bombing. The five surviving Schijveschuurder children say they simply cannot bear the thought that she will now regain her freedom. A few days ago, in a fit of rage, son Shvuel daubed the monument to President Yitzhak Rabin with white paint.
A hero’s welcome
According to Dutch-Palestinian political scientist Radi Suudi, the freed prisoners will receive a hero’s welcome.
“The Palestinians feel very strongly about the prisoners, imprisoned for anything from attacks to membership of political organisations. These are the ‘ordinary’ activists, people from the street.”
No hatred
In an interview with the Dutch newspaper Reformatorisch Dagblad, Motty and Tsira’s eldest son, Ben Zion, says he does not feel hatred towards the Palestinian suicide bomber.
“That person is not worth having feelings towards, not even feelings of hatred. Nor do I feel angry towards Palestinians in general. During the war, the Germans killed over half our family, but I do not have trouble talking to Germans. The same is true of Palestinians.”
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sent a letter to hundreds of families of people who died in terrorist attacks. In it, he says he understands their feelings about the prisoner exchange but insists that he has a duty to bring back a soldier who was sent into a conflict zone to protect Israel.
Supreme Court
The Schijveschuurder family does not understand this position and has joined with other families to submit petitions to the Israeli Supreme Court to prevent the release of the Palestinians. Meir Schijveschuurder told Dutch RTL News:
“With this petition, we want to put an end to this madness. We are afraid that terror will once again rule our streets; that they will go back to killing us in restaurants and cafés, asleep in our beds, at crèches and schools.”
(dd/rk/imm)
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Vera , why did they bomb gaza in a first place? there was no water wells they were tunnels smugling arms! no one burned mosques,no one is stealing land, when did they kill fisherman? Palestinians are being treated for the past 30yrs as babies, so they should grow up and stop whining like babies... one more thing they are not palestinians they are Arabs living in palestine.
And what about the "madness" when israel bombs Gaza, bulldozes villages, destroys water wells, burns Mosques, steals lands, shoots at fishermen, etc. Only the Jewish pain counts? Stop whining israel and start treating Palestinians they you would like to be treated - as humans, not dogs.
Vera, are you insane? Do you know anything about the history of that region, and specifically teh 'palestinians' and thier ways??? I ususlaly vote more left liberal in ISraeli politics because I am a pragmatist, not because I have illusions about the palestinians and their evil violent lying ways. Have you seen the youtube video interviewing the woman who carried out this terror attack? This creature who epitomizes the devil on this earth smiles with pride and satisfaction when she learns she murdered not four (like she had thought) but eight children. She is a monster. And such a woman is regarded as a hero in that culture. So you tell me how a culture that regards cold blooded murderers as heroes does not epitomize evil?? These are the ppl Israel is neighbors with and has to deal with. My heart breaks for this schavaschuder boy and his surviving siblings.In terms of your questions, Israel does targeted assasiantions as best she could so as not to punish teh innocent. Unfnortunately tehre sometimes is collateral damage-especially when Palestinians cynically exploit this and place themselves or women and children in deliberate danger. I don't think yo will ever find a video of a Jewish woman celebrating with a smile an act of muuder of children-even if they are her of her enemy.Palestinians should stop craving being the victim, get their act together and make a life for themselves instead of cryign about their unfair lot in life. They need to shift to psychological mindset of building and not destroying. Until that happens, nothing in that region will change.Jews looked forward adn rebuilt their nation and peoplehood after the holocaust instead of celebrating their victimhood. Time the Palis learned soemthign from the Jews. If they wanted to, they could have had a wonderful Palis tate b y now. they reject it everytime it was offered to them by SIrael. Because the truth is they don't want to have their own state. They just want to continue being supported victims who blame blame blame. Pathetic!
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