The news coming out of Israel this week concerns the kidnapping of Corporal Gilad Shalit, the Israeli incursion into Gaza, the ongoing launching of Qassam rockets into the Negev and the apparent complete lack of coordination between the various wings of Hamas. I put all of these subjects into the same run on sentence because the question is how intertwined they have become.
The first thought on the minds of Israelis and Jews around the world is the importance of Gilad Shalit’s safe return to his family. At the same time, it is virtually impossible to separate the steps necessary to accomplish that feat from the socio-political situation raging between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
With the situation so dynamic and so much being written in real time from Israel about the “facts on the ground,” I want to share only one thought which will perhaps appear to be too hopeful and optimistic for times such as these.
Precisely due to the inability to separate the capture of Gilad Shavit from everything else, perhaps the way to win his release and bring quiet to the Negev is by tying it all together. When I engage in business negotiation I always consider what each side wants from the deal and what “baggage” each side brings to the table.
In this case, at a minimum Israel wants the release of Shavit and a halt to the Qassam attacks on the Negev. Olmert’s “baggage” is that he has stated that he won’t free prisoners in exchange for Shavit and he needs to appear strong in the eyes of Israel. Shavit’s captors need to win some measurable gains i.e. the release of prisoners and want to be heroes in the eyes of the Palestinians. Palestinian Prime Minister Haniyeh wants to prove that he can actually govern before his administration totally collapses. Hamas’ “baggage” is that there is seemingly no coordination between Gaza and Damascus or between their political and military wings.
Using the continued good services of the Egyptians as mediators, an overall agreement could include a release of Shavit and a halt to the Qassam attacks by the Palestinians and an Israeli release of prisoners and a departure from Gaza. In this way, Israel frees prisoners and receives far more than just the release of Shavit, the captors climb down from their rejectionist position and the Hamas government survives another day.
Would the Palestinians accept and could they even deliver on such a deal? I believe it is worth finding out.
And on a different subject…….
Elsewhere on this website, there is press coverage of the recent World Zionist Congress and Ameinu’s participation in the gathering. In an upcoming “President’s View” I will share my report on the Congress. Meanwhile, I invite you to take a look at a blog written by Emily Chrapot, a youth delegate from Ameinu Australia, our sister movement. Scroll through, find sections that look interesting about the Congress or the World Labor Zionist convention, and get a feel for her experience.
http://www.szcvic.blogspot.com
