Abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has been in Hamas captivity without access to international humanitarian assistance for nearly five years. In a courageous, albeit potentially treacherous, move by the White House, the administration condemned the detention in the “strongest” of terms and called for his release.
Shalit’s abduction, and the vigor of requests for his release, result in major political ramifications. In exchange for the soldier, Hamas has requested a thousand of prisoners to be released from Israeli jails, with those captives including many terrorists with blood on their hands. Hamas has set up an equation where one Israeli soldier is worth 1000 Hamas lives. Abducting another soldier could increase that request, and Israel — just like the United States — refuses to negotiate with terrorists, especially when agreeing to one set of terms could result in a similar situation down the road, where another Israeli soldier is abducted and more prisoners released. Israel, for national security reasons, refuses to set a precedent where Israeli soldiers are currency for terrorists to be released.
Because of internal Israeli calls and demonstrations for the Netanyahu administration to negotiate for Shalit’s release, Hamas has been reticent to reduce its terms or set a lower prisoner number. The terror group knows that the Israeli government is facing pressure internally to negotiate, emboldening Hamas to continue mandating high and unfeasible prisoners in an exchange, with, at least until now, the Israeli government resisting the domestic protests.
The White House’s involvement could have a similar effect, were Hamas realizes that the entire international community wants Shalit released, providing the terror group with more fodder to ask for more concessions.
It’s a typical supply and demand scheme. The supply is the life of a young Israeli soldier, the demand is increasing, and the price might go up.
The White House statement:
Nearly five years have now passed since Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel and abducted Gilad Shalit. During this time, Hamas has held him hostage without access by the International Committee of the Red Cross, in violation of the standards of basic decency and international humanitarian demands. As the anniversary of his capture approaches, the United States condemns in the strongest possible terms his continued detention, and joins other governments and international organizations around the world in calling on Hamas to release him immediately.
