The reason behind a thousand for one prisoners swap deal

After a storm comes a calm. Things are often calm after an upheaval. I can't believe how peaceful the Middle East is today, when five years ago everyone was either being apprehensive or feared a third Arab-Israeli war. How the unknown factor about what the future holds in store can cause undue fear and uncertainty. There had been awful destruction of life and property on both sides over the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on their common unrecognised makeshift border. Two of his colleagues were killed in that operation by HAMAS militants. At the time, Israel felt its ego was at stake and had to flex her muscles apparently with clandestine approval by her western backers. 

Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners

HAMAS which is first and foremost a Palestinian liberation group has controversially been tagged as a terrorist entity. Not everyone can condone some of the methods they used in their struggle but it should be remembered that these desperate human beings are symptoms of the oppression and brutality the Palestinian people have endured for so long with no end in sight. Indeed, those critics who say it’s wrong to use bombs that indiscriminately kill and maim civilians are absolutely right. But those same critics usually ignore the fact that Israel’s state terror machine does exactly the same thing in a more sophisticated way as we witnessed during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza — a 22-day-long killing spree leaving a death toll of 1,400, including women and children. 

Palestinian prisoners released at the Rafah border with Egypt

So the prisoners swap deal where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were exchanged for one Israeli yesterday October 17, 2011 came as no surprise to many an observer of the Middle East crisis. So many interpretations have been given to this deal. Some say one Israeli life is worth one thousand Palestinian lives. This has its own twists and turns depending on which side of the divide one stands. For some Israelis and their sympathizers,the deal is unacceptable for the simple fact that Israel with all her sophisticated military arsenals including the much feared secret service, the Mossad, she could not rescue just one of her own. Besides, some of the prisoners released had been sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly committing murder against Jews. The fear is that they may in fact continue to pose threat to Jews.

On the Palestinian side, the talk is about the fact that this deal humiliates HAMAS' avowed opponents, FATAH and its leader, the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas. Top Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar is patting Hamas negotiators on the back for concluding a deal Fatah was unable to seal. President Mahmoud Abbas has “negotiated with Israel for a million years and hasn’t achieved a deal like this one. Is this really the case? Are people not ignoring the real facts on the ground? Is this whole deal not a camouflage to dwarf recent developments in the region that caught Israel and her backers running for cover? 
For me the most important lesson at the centre of the ongoing drama is how much love both peoples have shown towards their citizens. The great length they can go and sacrifices they are willing to make to secure their freedom. It gives reason for them to die a little for their country. I hope other countries will learn something out of this deal and accord their citizens all the care and attention if even one were to be in a similar situation.

On Friday September 23, 2011, the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas delivered an important and historic piece of address to the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. In that speech, Mr. Abbas articulated the Palestinian aspiration to seek a greater and more effective role for the United Nations in working to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region that ensures the inalienable, legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people as defined by the resolutions of international legitimacy of the United Nations.He confirmed five main objectives of the Palestinian people:

1. The realization of their inalienable national rights in their independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, 

2. To adhere to the renouncement of violence and rejection and condemning of terrorism in all its forms, 

3. Adherence to the option of negotiating a lasting solution to the conflict in accordance with resolutions of international legitimacy,

4. The continuation of the popular peaceful resistance to the Israeli occupation and its settlement and apartheid policies, and 

5. Reliance on the political and diplomatic option and avoidance of unilateralism. 

The greatest element in that September speech is none of those goals enumerated above. It has to do with the submission of an application for the admission of Palestine on the basis of the 4 June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as a full member of the United Nations. There is no shred of doubt that it is this single act that has forced the hands of the Israeli leaders especially ultra conservative like Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

I dare say the coup de grâce was dealt by Mahmoud Abbas and all this is an attempt to undermine that effort to secure Palestine a UN membership.HAMAS and all the Palestinian liberation groups as well as the genuine international community members seeking genuine resolution to this conflict while welcoming this one thousand for one prisoners swap deal, must not lose sight of that important application. This deal is a sign that UN membership for Palestine can bring positive end to the decades long protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. May peace reign on earth for ever and ever.