Terrorists for Israeli Soldiers: A Convergence On Appeasement

Now that Olmert's Convergence plan is off the table for the time being, the rumors persist that he is involved in other ways to deal with terrorism: trading for the lives of kidnapped soldiers with the release of prisoners.

Leaving aside just which and how many prisoners/terrorists would be released, the plan--rumor or not--is already having its effect.

According to World Net Daily:

Palestinian terror organizations are currently training in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to carry out operations aimed at kidnapping Israeli soldiers, said a terror leader whose group in June abducted Israeli Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.

The leader thanked the international community for what he said was its recognition that kidnappings of Israeli soldiers are not considered terrorism but "military operations that bring very big results."

He told WorldNetDaily the "best way" to gain the freedom of thousands of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails, including convicted terrorists, is by more kidnappings of Israeli soldiers.

"We are now planning and training for the next kidnappings. Even if [Israel] releases hundreds of prisoners in exchange for Shalit, we still have thousands more to liberate. More Israeli soldiers must be abducted," said the terror leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity amid reports Israel is considering releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit.

Thanking the international community for recognizing that the kidnappings of Israeli soldiers are not considered terrorism but "military operations that bring very big results."

Nice touch.

Meanwhile, the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers seems to be so successful that it has attracted new groups:

A previously unknown group, which said it is based in the Golan Heights,
threatened Wednesday to abduct Israeli soldiers to swap them for Syrian
prisoners in Israel.

In a statement faxed to foreign news agencies in Damascus, a group calling itself the Men of the National Syrian Resistance threatened to "take the necessary measures" to secure the release of 16 Syrians jailed in Israel.

...Referring to Hezbollah, whose July 12 capture of two Israeli soldiers sparked a 34-day war with Israel, the statement said: "The Lebanese model, the model of Hezbollah, is not so far from us concerning implementation and preparations to release our detainees."

The implications of all this for Israel's going into Gaza and Lebanon to force the release of the kidnapped soldiers is not good:

According to government spokesmen, Israel's harsh military response to the kidnappings in Lebanon and Gaza has taught our enemies that from now on, there will be a heavy price to pay for kidnappings.

However, this response has not persuaded the Lebanese and Gazans to release the soldiers without getting something in return. In exchange for Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, in Lebanon, and Gilad Shalit, in the Gaza Strip, Israel will have to release hundreds of prisoners to Lebanon and the territories.

On the issue of whether Hezbollah won the war in Lebanon, there is debate back and forth.

Does anyone doubt that if Olmert trades prisoners/terrorists for Shalit, it will be an unqualified victory for Hamas and Palestinian terrorists?

Technorati Tag: Israel and Hamas and Olmert and Goldwasser and Regev and Shalit.