MIDEAST

Truce or Dare

The prisoner exchange between Israel and Hizbullah involves a complex political calculus. Where does that leave Hamas and Gaza?

By Kevin Peraino | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Jul 16, 2008 | Updated: 5:32 p.m. ET Jul 16, 2008

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Discuss

Posted By: THE RAVEN @ 07/17/2008 1:04:03 PM

Comment: Are you people who are whining about the raw deal israel got not aware that israel KNEW that these two men were already DEAD? Do you not read what is written in front of you? They wanted the bodies back anyway. Yeah, it was a $hitty deal, but it was what israel wanted.
And as I've said constantly--you HAVE to talk and deal with your enemies. If you cry babies believe that this blood shed is going to stop without TALKING, you have no clue regarding world history and war.
- Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/17/2008 2:39:16 PM
  
  Comment: NOT SURE THAT "WHINING" IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE SHOCK PEOPLE ARE FEELING OVER THE LEVEL OF INEQUALITY OF GIVING 5 LIVE TO GETTING 2 DEAD BACK.....................ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE A BLACK WOMAN AND, I AM SURE, ARE PAINFULLY AWARE OF GETTING THE "SH*T END OF THE STICK"(SO TO SPEAK)!
  
  IF THEY WERE AWARE THEY WERE GETTING CORPSES FOR LIVE TERRORIST, THAT WAS THEIR PEROGATIVE...................BUT IF I WAS ISRAELI........................IT WOULD BE TRUE PAYBACK TIME..................AGAIN!
  
  YOU MIGHT WANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE JEWS WERE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GROUP TO "ENJOY" SLAVEHOOD!
  
  A DAY WITHOUT MUSLIMS IS LIKE A DAY WITHOUT HEMORROIDS!
Posted By: Anju Chandel @ 07/17/2008 6:57:54 AM

Comment: Hope this 'bargain' of bodies - dead and alive - will eventually bring truce and peace for both: Israel and Lebanon, and Hizbullah and Hamas, and of course for Palestine if Hamas keeps its commitment towards ceasefire. Its high time they recognised each other's right to exist and moved towards a peaceful and prosperous life. The international community however need to help them in this endeavor.
- Posted By: busby @ 07/17/2008 1:06:45 PM
  
  Comment: Don't you read the news. Hamas, that champion of the Palestinian people, didn't evem wait a week to lob rockets across the border into Israel. This swap was a terrible mistake. Israel has never gotten back a live prisoner yet they continue to release hundreds of terrorists for a few bodies. It sets a precedent that will only get more soldiers and civilians taken and killed in order to facilitate another shameful exchange. That pig that bashed in the head of a four-year old after killing her father in front of her said he had no regrets over his act. Someone really worth saving, right?
- Posted By: loriw @ 07/17/2008 12:31:14 PM
  
  Comment: Did the fact that Israel was lead to believe that they might get these 2 men back alive and instead they received dead bodies? How do you think this was somehow a fair deal for Israel? How would you feel if you were one of the Israel families? That "deal" was a slap in the face to Israel. Deal oo no Deal"? I say
  NO DEAL!
Posted By: loriw @ 07/17/2008 2:02:17 AM

Comment: This whole situation breaks my heart for the Israeli people who held out hope that the 2 would be alive....Israel got screwed. My prayers go out to the families of these 2 men.
What's also sad....how little interest in this injustice there is as measured by how few posts this article has compared to jibjab.
Posted By: joe2008 @ 07/16/2008 6:18:24 PM

Comment: Israel trades five live terrorists for two corpses. I think the jews have lost their ability to bargain
- Posted By: loriw @ 07/17/2008 12:32:01 PM
  
  Comment: They were led to believe these 2 men might still be alive...
Posted By: shuky322 @ 07/16/2008 5:20:26 PM

Comment: WOW, that was quite the distorted third paragraph. The author Peraino gives the impression that the "militias" simply "responded" to Israel provocation when they fired rockets into Israel in violation of the ceasefire. What he fails to point out however was that they had fired multiple missiles into Israel numerous times before the Israeli military ever took action in Gaza. Talk about biased journalism...
Posted By: shuky322 @ 07/16/2008 5:15:13 PM

Comment: WOW, that was one impressively distorted third paragraph of this article. The author Peraino failed to point out that prior to the "militant's" having "responded" to Israel with rocket fire, they had fired multiple rockets into Israel without any provocation from Israel whatsoever (including soon after the establishment of the ceasefire) and in complete abbrogation of the agreement. Peraino also failed to point out that Hamas had publicly refused to take any concrete steps to prevent other organizations from firing in Israel from Gaza. Quite the impressive display of journalism.