Palestinians Dismiss Prisoner Release as a "Bribe"

The Gatestone Institute ^ | August 5, 2013 | Khaled Abu Toameh

[OddLane]

They regard the prisoner release as something Israel was supposed to have done anyway, many years ago. Many will continue to see it as as part of an Israeli-American scheme to extract concessions, and will continue to attack Abbas for "succumbing" to US pressure.

The argument that the release of Palestinian prisoners boosts the standing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and "moderate" Palestinians and facilitates the resumption of peace talks with Israel is not necessarily true.

Many Palestinians do not see Israel's decision to release more than 100 Palestinians who were imprisoned before the signing of the Oslo Accords two decades ago as a gesture on the part of Israel.

Rather, they regard the Israeli move as something that Israel was supposed to have done anyway, many years ago.

As Saeb Erekat, the chief PLO negotiator, explained: "This Israeli cabinet decision is an overdue step towards the implementation of the Sharm Sheikh agreement of 1999, whereby Israel committed to release all the pre-Oslo prisoners. We welcome this decision 14 years later."

So unlike the US and other Western governments, the Palestinian Authority does not see the release of prisoners as a conciliatory move on the part of the Israeli government.

[GeronL]

That’s gratitude

I do not think any one with a brain thought it would be any different

[SauronOfMordor]

Israeli response should be to stop taking prisoners.

[Netz]

Israel:

at the request of:

Bill Clintoon, Mad Albright, Warren Christopher, Hilliary Clintoon, George Bush, Dennis Ross, Sandy Berger, William Cohen, Martin Indyk, the entire State Dept., the European Union, Tony Blair, Yassir Arafart, Mahmoud Abbas, Saeb Erekat and thousands more...

Has performed hundreds of “Goodwill Gestures”, “Confidence Building Measures”, bridging gap measures with the Palestinians. All this to smooth over agreements and what has Israel ever gotten in return?

Kidnappings
Murder
Riots (Itnifadas)
Missiles
Mortar rounds
Projectile throwing (rocks, metal, etc.)
Bombs
Jihad
Rejection
Sedition to revolt (Arab ministers in Parliament)
“Peace” boat attacks
Infiltrations along border
...
...

What do we learn from these lessons? Nothing.
The PLO/HAMAS are divided between Ramallah and Gaza.
How many times does Israel have to release these scum who will come back and kill them, the Israelis, again and again??

THERE IS NO RECIPROCITY...

[Venturer]

Like the bum on the street you give the quarter to, First he thinks it’s not enough and then he thinks it’s a sign of weakness, and that you owe it to him.

They do not recognize charity as a virtue only as an idiotic move by someone who feels guilty about something.

[Chode]

quell surprise...