When the mothers of the captive youths heard the hunger striking terrorists imprisoned in Israel have decided to call off the hunger strike they were pained amid a realization the government and the Israel Prison Authority cut a deal with them. The hunger strike was observed for 64 days and the terrorists called it quits less than a week before the month of Ramadan begins. In the eyes of the mothers, while their sons are being held by Hamas terrorists the thought of negotiating with these hunger strikers is repulsive.
So what did the terrorists receive to end the hunger strike? This depends greatly on who one asks. According to Minister of Public Security Yitzchak Aharonovich whose office is responsible for the Israel Prison Authority, nothing. He insists the government did not negotiate and the hunger striking terrorists received nothing.
If one asks PA Minister of Prisoner Affairs Shuki Isa, Israel negotiated and “gave in to almost all of their demands”.
Government officials are saying that there were no negotiations and no deals. They add the hunger strikers began their protest in defiance of continued administrative arrests. Officials point out that the hunger strikers realized the arrests continue and their protests are in vain. It is stressed the government states the hunger strikers decided to call it quits on their own, without receiving any promises from state officials or agencies.
Government officials attribute the decision by the terrorists was prompted by the realization that Ramadan is going to begin in the coming days.
The three mothers arrived in Knesset on Wednesday, 27 Sivan for a meeting with MK (Bayit Yehudi) ` Muallem. ”It is our duty as MKs to meet three brave women such as you,” MK Muallem told Bat-Galim Shaar, Iris Yifrach and Rachel Frenkel. ”On the one hand, we`ve experienced 13 days of great pain, but on the other hand this is also a time of courageous spirit.”
Housing Minister Uri Ariel added, ”I’ve seen the powerful faith these families and the Jewish people have. Such wall-to-wall unity isn’t found everywhere in the world. We are coming to the conclusion that we are facing an enemy and we have to treat him as such. These are not just your sons, they are all our sons.”
Bayit Yehudi leader Minister Naftali Bennett added, “We have to do more, anything that can be used to achieve even tighter leverage,” Bennett continued. ”The next leverage is money. Thousands of Hamas terrorists are getting monthly salaries of 4,000-12,000 shekels ($1,162-$3,488) a month. If you murder a Jew, you profit from it. We now want an equation of ‘you act and you’ll pay for it.’ We are leaving no stone unturned to reach the boys. There’s nothing that we want to do that isn’t being done. The prime minister himself is dealing with the matter day and night.”
Mrs. Bat-Galim Shaar made no effort to hide her pain and anger. She explained that she awakened in the morning and listened to the news, and she could not believe her ears, that the government reached agreement with the prisoners to end the hunger strike. Bat-Galim Shaar said she had full trust in the system, but was surprised to learn of the agreement Israel reached with the hunger strikers to call off the hunger strike by administrative detainees. ”It can’t be that while our children still haven’t been found, the government makes an agreement with the prisoners,” she said. ”At a time when the Jewish people live fearfully in their land, the Palestinian people go about their routine. I call on the MKs to do everything they can to return our sons, and to the prime minister, I want to say: The people of Israel will judge you and the cabinet by the results.”
Mrs. Rachel Frenkel added “We are aware of the many troops out in the field doing their utmost and we thank them for this”.
Mrs. Iris Yifrach stated “I turn to you as mothers and MKs to assist us and make your voices heard so I sons may return home”.
The PA however insists a deal was reached, one that led to significant gain.
Names for Tehillim:
1. Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah
2. Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim
3. Eyal ben Iris Teshurah
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/portions of quotes from Knesset English site)
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One Response
While all those Ministers brag about the action against the terrorist to find our three boys at the same time all terrorist in Israeli jail are all well organized, basically a terrorist organization inside the Israeli Prison, its enough to show how sincere these Ministers are.