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Michael Anbar , PhD, is a professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Buffalo. Formerly a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, he is the author of , published by iUniverse.
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By Michael Anbar
April 10, 2007
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PM Ehud Olmert, Jerusalem
Dear Prime Minister:
I understand that you are receiving thousands of similar letters objecting the possibility that Israel will release hundreds of Arab perpetrators of atrocities against Israelis with the hope that they Arabs will release Cpl. Shalit, who was abducted in an Arab incursion into Israeli territory in violation of international law. I wish to ask you three questions that might have been possibly missed by others:
1. How can you even contemplate releasing even a single Arab terrorist before you have concrete independent evidence, from the IRC or another non-Arab party, on the condition of the abducted Israeli soldier? Did you receive an authenticated recent video tape in which Cpl. Shalit speaks? Remembering the Islamic premise that deceit of an enemy is legitimate -- how can you be sure that Cpl. Shalit is still alive? If you have irrefutable evidence that Cpl. Shalit is alive, why don't you share this information with the public? If such evidence is not yet available, why don't you hold off any negotiations until such evidence is provided? What would be your reaction if you found out that our soldier has been dead for months?
2. In the past Israel has released hundreds of Arab terrorists in exchange for an abducted Israeli and the corpses of Israeli soldiers. Many of those released Arabs have murdered Jews after having been released (this is why prisoners of war are being released only after the war is utterly over). Any logical person would have concluded that that policy was erroneous. Why do you even contemplate to repeat the same mistake? Moreover, the abduction of Cpl. Shalit, unlike that of Tannenbaum, was a blatant violation of international law. Why, as an experienced lawyer, don't you realize that any violation of international law cannot be rewarded by any concession?
3. Why hasn't Israel undertaken escalating punitive actions against the Arabs until they release Cpl Shalit? If he was alive they would not have harmed him since he is their only bargaining chip for any prisoner's exchange. Although Abu Mazen seems to have minimal say on these matters, certainly he is in better position to put direct pressure on the abductors than you. If you made it harder for Abu Mazen to face his own people by growing Israeli pressure it is more likely to achieve the release of Cpl. Shalit, if he is still alive.
I will appreciate your response to these questions. As a responsible national leader, you surely have satisfactory answers to these. Why don't you share these with the world? Your detailed response will certainly alleviate much of the harsh criticism you are facing today.
Sincerely,
Michael Anbar, Ph.D.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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