Dr. Aaron Lerner is co-founder of IMRA, Independent Media Review and Analysis, an Israel-based news organization which provides an extensive digest of media, polls and significant interviews and events relating to the Israeli-Arab conflict. imra@netvision.net.il
But it is a policy that would ultimately both save lives and put an end to the torturously nightmarish situation of uncertainty that the families of our captured soldiers frequently endure.
Bodies for bodies.
Lives for lives.
No exceptions.
If you are planning to capture an Israeli to swap you damn well better make sure he doesn't die during the operation or later in captivity.
The kind of operation that unavoidably wounded IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev as they were taken captive in July 2006 would not have been carried out in the first place if the terrorists knew they were taking a big risk that their efforts would ultimately only yield a body swap.
The nation's hearts go out to the families of the POW/MIA's, but the families of future kidnapping targets also have rights.
Trading live terrorists for bodies could very well mean the unnecessary death of future targets.
Yes. The nation has an obligation to return its soldiers -- both living and dead.
But its obligation to prevent future unnecessary deaths takes precedence.
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