As IF Times

link Freed prisoners who return to te… JPost – Diplomacy & Politics.

I’m sure they’re all shaking in their sandals over the warning by Netanyahu to avoid causing trouble upon their recent release from Israeli prison.  As has been reported in the news, Israel has exchanged 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for the return of just 1 Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit. Talk about a one sided deal! 

Two obvious things pop out here.  First, the stark difference between how both sides of  the Israeli/Palestinian struggle view their citizens are displayed by this action.  Whereas the Israelis respect and honor the sanctity of every human life by striking such a lopsided bargain for even one soldier’s release, the other side cavalierly sends their young boys off to suicide missions as if they were drink coasters to be used as needed.  From the perspective of a westerner, it seems as if the preservation and sanctity of human life is what determines a society’s standing in the civilization scale.   The only instance that I know of in the animal world where creatures willingly commit suicide are lemmings.  That is certainly the exception.  Even rodents and insects try to nurture life.

Ironically for the released prisoners, it may only dawn upon them many days after their release that they were probably better off in Israeli prisons.  The food was likely better than what they were used to; it arrived on a regular basis; they were housed with buddies and most importantly, they were excused from having to go out on rock throwing, suicide missions.  They may all have even gained a pound or two.  For the Israelis’ part, they may have been happy to offload the expense of housing , feeding and clothing the 1,027 prisoners.  Even bread and water costs money. 

The second obvious thing that jumps out from this exchange is that it must be hugely insulting for each of the Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged by the train car load for just one measly Israeli.  Have they no sense of pride?  Using a sports analogy, it’s as if Tom Brady of the New England Patriots were traded away for the entire NFL!  They couldn’t have been of too much use to their own society since they were obviously expendable.  Imagine when they come back home to their families. 

“Oh, Ahmed, it’s you.  Yeah, hey listen, this is a little uncomfortable, but we didn’t expect you to come back.  We’ve replaced you with a coat rack.” 

In any event, there is no dis-incentive  on the part of these released prisoners to resume troublesome activities notwithstanding Netanyahu’s warnings.  What’s the worst that can happen?