The deadly deal that won’t disappear

Ziad Abu Hadoan, Amer Rajabi and Maher Qasame, three members
of a Hamas cell caught planning to kidnap and murder an Israeli
[Image Source: Shin Bet]

Last week we were reminded that the repercussions of the Shalit Deal are far-reaching - even beyond the families of the victims who suffer from it every minute of every day. 

On January 7th, we learned that last month, Shin Bet, IDF and police forces arrested six members of a Hamas terror cell planning to kidnap and murder an Israeli. They intended to demand the release of Palestinian prisoners in return for the victim's body and already dug a grave for the body.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to draw the line connecting the Shalit Deal to plots like this one. After that phenomenal terrorist success, the release of over 1,000 terrorists including hundreds of convicted murderers, it would be folly for our enemies not to attempt a repeat performance. 

Many Israelis would like to put the Shalit Deal far behind them. This is clear from PM Netanyahu's studious avoidance of any mention of it from the moment he perpetrated it. There were no apologies to victims families, no reference to it subsequently. Ever.

And as anybody who's tried to elicit official information about those released murderers knows, our government is complicit in the cover up.

Say you'd like to know the what the conditions of the releases were? That, we now know, is off limits to the public. After a delay of many months, our lawyer was notified by the Prime Minister's Office that our request for information under the Freedom of Information Law was denied.

He was told that some of the information we requested regarding the Shalit releasees resides with the General Security Service (the "Shabak") and as such is exempt from the above law.

Shalit Deal prisoners heading for freedom, October 2011

Our lawyer responded with a logical question: Which information is thus protected and which isn't? And since you concede that some of it isn't, why haven't you provided the information that isn't? Our lawyer reminded that PMO official that there is a specific appointee in that office who deals with freedom of information matters and shouldn’t he be dealing with this matter?

That was in September 2015. There was no further response from the PMO's office.

One of the statistics that we would like to know is the precise number of Shalit releasees that has been re-arrested for resumed terrorist activity. Some have actually been charged with post-release murder. The Palestinians themselves claim some 70 share that distinction. .

But, as the above letter makes clear, the precise number is kept closely under wraps; our government does not believe we deserve to know it.

So if anyone is sitting back on the couch, relieved that the after-shocks of the Shalit Deal are somebody else's worry, wake up. This is a travesty that is haunting every one of us even four years later. Last week’s revelation of Hamas’ foiled plot makes that clear.

That deal with the Devil will continue to threaten us until our leader stands up, acknowledges that he committed a grave injustice and vows never to repeat it.

Pigs will fly first.