Time moves quickly in the world of diplomacy.
This week, Israel agreed to release hundreds of terrorist prisoners. The freedom of kidnapped IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit was left out of the equation, however.
At a four-way summit with Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to release 250 imprisoned terrorists simply as a “good will” gesture to prop up the government of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Fatah leader Abbas lost control over Gaza in the civil war that has raged between his group and the rival Hamas terror organization ever since Hamas was democratically elected by the people to lead the PA in January 2006. Gallons of blood, tens of funerals and hundreds more wounded civilians, as well as terrorists, finally resulted in the PA being carved up much in the same way as was Korea. Hamas is now the sole ruler of Gaza, and Fatah is in control of the PA areas of Judea and Samaria, at least for now.
In a bid to reverse the process, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II joined the PA Chairman to persuade Ehud Olmert to sacrifice the safety of Israel's citizens on the altar of "working together for peace." Also to that end, the United States has agreed to restore funding aimed at re-arming Abbas's troops, who lost their guns, ammunition and other materiel to Hamas. The "confidence-building" deal, which will return terrorists to the streets, also includes the transfer of some half a billion dollars in tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the PA.
No concrete commitment was made at the summit - or at any other time in the past year - to guarantee the release of the captive Shalit. The 20-year-old soldier is still languishing in enemy hands after having been kidnapped by Hamas infiltrators from Gaza a year ago this week; although, at least there is some evidence that he is still alive. The day after the one-year anniversary of his abduction, his terrorist captors released an audio tape of his voice expressing disappointment that his government had not done more to rescue him and saying that he misses his family.
Ehud Olmert to sacrifice the safety of Israel's citizens on the altar of "working together for peace."
It was not clear when the recording was made, what condition Shalit is in, nor exactly where he is being held. Red Cross and other humanitarian organization representatives are still being refused access to the captive, a violation of international law. Terrorist prisoners in Israel, of course, meet with Red Cross officials, foreign diplomats, humanitarian workers and even their families. Some of them receive monthly stipends from the terrorist organizations that sent them on their murder missions.
Gilad Shalit might well ask what happened to Israel's famed commitment not to leave a soldier in the field.
In a speech made four days after the abduction, Prime Minister Olmert threatened to take "extreme action" if Shalit was not immediately released. The Prime Minister had harsh words for Shalit's kidnappers, who also murdered two soldiers and wounded four others in their attack at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
"The policy of Israel always has been not to abandon soldiers," Olmert said, adding he would not negotiate for the return of Gilad.
"I repeat. No negotiations will be conducted," he said. "We will continue to conduct military and anti-terrorism operations."
What a difference a year makes.