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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Hamas leader: Israel threatens to kill freed prisoners to boost public

2011-10-25

(Ma'an) -- Israeli government threats to assassinate prisoners freed under an exchange deal with Hamas are an attempt to satisfy their public, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar told reporters on Sunday.

Do I count as their public? Because now I feel satisfied.

The senior Hamas figure downplayed Israel's intention to extend its tactic of targeted killings to the prisoners released in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Israel is "making these threats in an attempt to lighten the heavy price they paid" for agreeing to free over 1,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails for Shalit.

The prisoners all refused to sign a pledge not to return to their old ways. Consequences can be painful...however briefly.

If you're lucky it's briefly.
The deal, which in its first stage saw Shalit return to Israel and 477 Palestinians freed on Tuesday, was broadly supported by the Israeli public but provoked fierce debate over the release of those jailed for attacks on Israelis.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that if any of the freed prisoners return to terrorism, they "do so at their own risk," Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post reported.

Zahhar said such statements show "how desperate (Israel) felt in the face of the Palestinian resistance's accomplishment in forcing (the government) to yield to the conditions" set out by the Hamas negotiators for the exchange.

He warned Israel that resistance fighters are able to respond "promptly and appropriately" to any attempt to harm the freed prisoners.

On Saturday, deputy commander Hamas's armed wing Ahmed Jabari said his al-Qassam brigades would continue plans to capture Israeli soldiers "until all Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli occupation jails," Hamas-affiliated news site Palestine Information Center reported.

According to latest estimates, around 5,000 Palestinian prisoners will remain in Israeli jails after the second phase of the deal frees 550 more prisoners within two months.

Posted by:trailing wife

#7 #6 Charles:

:-D

Posted by: Barbara 2011-10-25 20:35

#6 Barbara: Who said they haven't done exactly that? Announcing none did to the public, but the "Secret" back channels tell a different story would cause even more panic than just coming out and saying it.

Posted by: Charles 2011-10-25 19:16

#5 and make some large deposits in the accounts of the worst. Maybe have a new car delivered to their driveway?

Posted by: Frank G 2011-10-25 14:35

#4 Don't announce it, 'moose. Just let it slip through back channels that will get to Hamas.

Hilarity would ensue. :-D

Posted by: Barbara 2011-10-25 14:10

#3 Anonymoose I like the way you think. They are damaged goods.

Posted by: Dale 2011-10-25 11:52

#2 The Israelis don't seem to understand basic police tactics.

"The prisoners all refused to sign a pledge not to return to their old ways."

They should have announced that a quarter of them *did* sign the pledge, after the Israelis assured them they would not release their names so that Hamas would not kill them. And that some have agreed to work with Israel in the future against Hamas.

Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-10-25 10:57

#1 Killing them sounds like a good plan to me, followed by killing the rest of Hamas and their buddies.

Posted by: Silentbrick - Halliburton Lost Drill Bit Division 2011-10-25 09:03

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