Israel-Hamas prisoner swap proposal outrageous, Defense c’tee chair says

In 2011, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, about a third of whom were serving life sentences for terrorist attacks on Israelis, in exchange for captive soldier Gilad Schalit.

By LAHAV HARKOV, KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Updated: DECEMBER 14, 2020 21:29
MK Zvi Hauser during a vote at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on August 24, 2020. (photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/FLASH90)
MK Zvi Hauser during a vote at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on August 24, 2020.
(photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/FLASH90)
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Zvi Hauser (Derech Eretz) railed against a proposed deal exchanging Israeli captives in Gaza for Hamas terrorists in Israeli prisons on Monday.
“Due to my job, I have seen all the details and I must say clearly: This is an outrageous deal... that will allow hundreds of terrorists to return to terrorist activity,” Hauser said.
The MK’s remarks came amid reports that the government has been negotiating with Hamas to release the bodies of Shaul Oron and Hadar Goldin, two soldiers assumed killed in 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, as well as two living civilians,Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
Israel offered to provide Gaza with significant aid in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic, including vaccines, but it must go together with progress towards releasing the Israeli captives, The Jerusalem Post sister publication Ma’ariv reported over the weekend.
Israel relayed its message via Egypt and refused to release terrorists who killed Israelis.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem denied that there was any progress on the issue of a possible prisoner swap with Israel. The reports on this matter, he said, are related to “Israeli electioneering.”
Qassem added that reports in “the Zionist media concerning a prisoner exchange deal are an attempt by the prime minister of the occupation government to boost his personal presence in any new elections.”
The reports, Qassem said, are baseless and there’s nothing new on this track. “Netanyahu is continuing to run away from taking a decision on this issue and is tampering with the feelings of the families of the Israeli soldiers,” the Hamas spokesman argued.
Hauser, who is also chairman of the Knesset Subcommittee on Captives and Missing Soldiers, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “retreat from this dangerous move and draw the necessary conclusions from the Schalit Deal, in which most of those released returned to terror.”
In 2011, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, about a third of whom were serving life sentences for terror attacks on Israelis, in exchange for captive soldier Gilad Schalit.

Stay updated with the latest news!

Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter

Subscribe Now
Hauser also said the proposed exchange violates the Shamgar Report, written by a committee appointed in 2008 by then-defense minister Ehud Barak to determine how Israel should behave when negotiating to free captives. The report said Israel should only free a small number of prisoners per soldier, and only a body or one living prisoner in exchange for a body.
Tzuf Goldin, Hadar Goldin’s brother, responded to Hauser on Twitter, saying: “Where are you when Hamas terrorists are routinely released from prison to Gaza? There have been over 100 since Protective Edge. You are part of the real outrage, and I doubt you know what the words ‘Shamgar Report’ mean.”
His parents, Leah and Simcha Goldin wrote on Twitter the day before praising the exchange of medical aid for their son.


Related Tags
Prisoner swap
zvi hauser
Avera Mengistu
Hadar Goldin
Hisham al-Sayed