Not everyone in Israel is exuberant over the news that a deal is about to be closed to bring Gilad Shalit home. The opponents are careful to explain that it is not that they are immune to the cries of the Shalit family, or chas v’sholom insensitive to the plight of the captive soldier, but they are, above all, too in tune to the pain and suffering connected to the abrupt loss of a loved one due to Arab terror. They are fighting to prevent the next terror attack they explain, based on previous prisoner exchange deals and statistics that support their position, that too many released terrorists return to their murderous ways, despite signing an affidavit committing not to do so.

The Almagor Terror Victims Association has turned to the High Court of Justice, as it has done in numerous occasions in the past ahead of other exchange deals, hoping to stop the release of hundreds of murderous terrorists. The petition states the citizens of Israel have a right to know what criteria are used to determine which terrorists to release.

The petition calls upon the court to remove the media ban on details of the proposed release, explaining by doing so, it will permit a legitimate public debate, permitting the nation to understand and decide based on knowledge, not calculated leaks to the media.

Three parents, who lost loves ones in the Haifa 2003 bus bombing attack, Ron Karman, Yossi Tzur, Yossi Mendelovitz, turned to the High Court in the hope of compelling the release of details of the release plan before it becomes another fait accompli, as was the case in the past. They explain that the terrorists responsible for planning the attack that claimed the lives of their loved ones are currently in prison, and may be among those released if the Shalit deal goes through.

They reject the legitimacy of using censorship to hide the details of the deal from the general public, citing moral and ethical responsibilities to the nation and the bereaved families, stating the matter of releasing murderers, or “terrorists with blood on their hands” as they are referred to, is one that demands a public discussion, since this is a policy decision that carries profound ramifications.

As the debate continues, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday morning released a statement that efforts to bring Shalit home continue, but there is currently no deal. He stressed that an agreement would be revealed in advance, and brought to the nation and the Knesset, stressing there would not be any sudden moves regarding an agreement to bring Shalit home.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)