Sanctions Against Iran, Pressure On Israel--And Hamas? (Zzzzzzzzzzz...)

When there is a need to pressure Israel, the European Union knows how to do that very well
Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped Gilad Shalit

It took a long time coming, but Obama finally approved sanctions against Iran and began coordinating them--although how effective they have been is open to question.

Israel, of course, has every action pertaining to self-defense criticized--with both Operation Cast Lead and the incident of the Mavi Marmara investigated by UNHRC-sponsored commissions whose objectivity and thoroughness are open to doubt.

Meanwhile, Hamas--which continues to fire rockets into civilian areas of Israel--faces neither sanctions nor sustained world criticism.

The European Union has not done enough to pressure Hamas to release Gilad Schalit, the captive soldier’s father, Noam, told reporters on Sunday night.

“When there is a need to pressure Israel, the European Union knows how to do that very well,” Schalit said.

He spoke after meeting briefly with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos. The two men visited Noam and his wife, Aviva, at the protest tent located just outside the prime minister’s Jerusalem residence, where they exchanged pleasantries with the couple who has waited for their son’s return since he was first captured on the Gaza border in June 2006.

Of course, one reason why the world has no real interest in Gilad Shalit being held hostage without visitation--contrary to the much vaunted International Humanitarian Law--is that the solution is so simple, if only Israel would be reasonable, but:

Indirect negotiations with Hamas to exchange 1,000 security prisoners for Schalit broke down last year and there has been no significant progress since.

After all, in the case of other kidnappings by Muslims, we find that European countries have gained the release of their citizens, only to find out later that they paid for them.

• France paid a ransom for the release of Ingrid Betancourt.
• Spain has paid ransoms to both Al Qaeda and Somali pirates.
• Obama administration has released terrorists outright.

No help there--Obama in particular has talked up the aid the US will give to Gaza, but has never suggested making any of it conditional on the Shalit's release.

On the Muslim side, all of this goes way back--to a model established by Mohammed:

The Prophet's army took prisoners of war to weaken the enemy or to exchange for his own captured soldiers. But even in war, tradition asserts, hostages must only be taken in the heat of battle, and never by civilians. At the climactic Battle of Badr, Muhammad's troops took 70 hostages and exchanged them for a large ransom. Islam outlaws making war for purposes of revenge or simply to acquire wealth. Commentators explain the Badr ransom by saying that it was a special case. The Prophet was just levying a fine in the form of a ransom in order to punish religious oppressors.[emphasis added]

Substituting people for money is merely a modern improvement.

In any case, one can see why Shalit speaking to Fances's Kouchner and Spain's Moratinos is unlikely to carry much weight; one can see why the fact that Gilad is also a French citizen is also not going to impress Hamas.

Kouchner noted that Gilad is both a French and an Israeli citizen.

Speaking briefly in French, Noam pointed to the projected image on the building across the street, which stated the number of days his son had been held in his captors’ hands: 1,568.

Noam told the two men and later reporters that he was grateful for the visit, particularly since the tent they sat in during the visit had been set up to protest government inaction with respect to Gilad.

Since France ans Spain have been impotent to gain the release of their own hostages in any way other than capitulation, what were they doing in Israel?

“They came here as a sign of support for our protest against the prime minister,” Noam said.

“They are important players in the European Union,” he noted, adding that he had asked the ministers to continue to pressure Hamas.

“They promised that they are placing pressure [on Hamas],” said Noam. “In my opinion it is not enough.”

Since they are incapable of applying pressure on Hamas, France and Spain are reduced to pressuring Netanyahu to follow their example and capitulate to Hamas.

And Obama is only concerned with getting Bibi to make one more concession to Abbas to get him back to the peace talks.

Technorati Tag: Gilad Shalit.