The Jerusalem Post recently featured this article about Shmuel Sackett and Moshe Zalman Feiglin, the founders of far-Right Likud faction Manhigut Yehudit, and their ideas for rescuing Gilad Shalit and moving Israel forward. How would Feiglin deal with the Schalit crisis?Feiglin said he would immediately execute half of the prisoners named in Hamas's negotiation list and execute another one each day Schalit was not released.I really have no idea what the reaction was from the crowd of twenty-five who gathered in Katamon. But I can tell you my reaction to Feiglin's ideas: Please. Be. Quiet.
"We have atomic bombs, and we cannot rescue a soldier 10 kilometers away?" asked Feiglin. "We take a list of what they want and simply kill half of them, and every day he is not released, we kill another one. If they kill him, then you attack, and you make sure there is not one Hamas leader who stays alive."
Let me list the reasons:
1. Practical: Hamas has already demonstrated that it's perfectly willing to sacrifice its own citizens, including women and children, to further the cause of Palestinian suffering. Shooting mortars from a school yard is a perfectly valid form of resistance, especially if the Hamas Freedom Fighters manage to elicit a response from the IDF that hurts, or preferably kills innocent people, preferably children. This, of course generates international outrage from media outlets like the BBC, leading to damning reports from Human Rights Watch, culminating in critical reports from the United Nations Human Rights Commission. It's a simple calculation of cost, which Hamas leadership has determined to be worth the expense. A few lives for international pressure on Israel? Sure, just add them to the martyrs list.
Imagine then the glee in Hamas headquarters under the Gaza Central Hospital when they learn that Israel has decided to execute prisoners under Israeli confinement as per Prime Minister Feiglin's plan. How long will the line be around the block for reporter from CNN, NBC, Newsweek, the Oregon Duck, and every other media representative to interview the condemned, their families, their mourning sisters? How well Feiglin's plan go over in the international media? Who cares? Actually, we do. Israel depends on not only U.S. economic and political support, but a huge chunk of Israel's economy depends on international trade. How long would it take for protests to form at the headquarters of Google, Microsoft, Intel, and the hundreds of other major corporations that do business in Israel? How soon would it be before they decided that, you know what, it's just not worth losing billions of dollars both in Europe and the Arab world to stay in Israel? How would PM Feiglin find jobs for the thousands of unemployed Israelis then?
2. Legal: Collective punishment is against international law. Israel struggles mightily with the use of even home demolitions as a means of deterring suicide bombings (which it has done effectively). The notion of punishing Palestinians - even terrorists (and not all detainees have been involved in violent crimes) - is a terrible violation of international law that Israel subscribes to.
3. Ethical: Is it really moral to kill thousands of captives to try and free one Jewish soldier? Sure, it's moral in an attack attempting to free Schalit to kill those who attempt to prevent his release. But that's not what Feiglin means. He means walking into a jail cell and shooting a detainee in cold blood - not for what he's done, but in the hope that his meaningless death will compel a vile and cruel terrorist in Gaza to release a Jewish soldier. Sorry, Mr. Feiglin, but that's not my idea of ethical.
One of the most difficult aspects of the challenge of fighting Hamas in Gaza is the fact that we're playing by different sets of rules. We have morals and ethics, and they don't. Yet, I (and most Israelis) don't consider our ethics a weakness. Rather, it's our greatest strength. And sinking to the depths of Hamas wouldn't strengthen our position either with Hamas or the rest of the world.
If you had the impression that Moshe Feiglin represents the views of Anglo Olim living here in Israel, I'd like to offer another point of view. I consider myself right of center, and believe in the eternal right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.
But I won't become a murderer and terrorist to make that happen.
Hi Rabbi Reuven Spolter -
ReplyDeleteI am Rafi, the organizer of the event two nights ago. I'm glad you posted this as a response to Feiglin's comment. It is very media-ish to zero in one comment in almost 90 minutes of speaking, but the meeting was not about freeing Shalit. But anyway, that's irrelevant to the point at hand. I will defend his comment and respond to each of your points in order.
1) Practical. You say Hamas has demonstrated its willingness to sacrifice Palestinian lives for its cause. That's true. However, Feiglin did not say kill palestinian civilians. He said, as you quoted in your post, "make sure there is not one Hamas leader who stays alive." They are certainly willing to sacrifice civilians. They are not willing to sacrifice themselves. They want to lead. Not be dead. Feiglin is talking about annihilating every single hamas leader until not one remains. No need to respond that this isn't possible. We both know it is. It's just a question of how many of our soldiers we are willing to sacrifice to get rid of Hamas entirely. And yes, I'd be willing to pay the price, even fight myself, to accomplish this. As to your comments about the media and damning UN reports, I quote Shlach Lecha. אפס כי עז העם...Yes, I accuse you of the sin of the spies for worrying about them and relying on נדיבים
2) You say collective punishment is against international law. I say Hamas is a terrorist organization, and international law does not apply. Even if it did, Jews are exempt from international law by God. We have our own law that we got at Sinai, did we not?
3) You write, "Is it really moral to kill thousands of captives to try and free one Jewish soldier?" Hamas is demanding 450. Half of that would be 225. There are at least that many with blood on their hands. Would you be willing to keep them alive? They should be killed regardless of Shalit. It is the moral, just thing to do.
However, again, the meeting was not about Gilad Shalit.
Hello Rabbi Spolter -
ReplyDeleteI've tried to leave a comment here twice. Hopefully it will work this time. I am the organizer of the event in Katemon (though not the host). As to your wondering the reaction Feiglin got for his comment, it was applause. I will respond to each of your points.
1) Hamas is of course happy whenever an Arab civilian gets killed. But the are not happy when their own leaders get killed. Feiglin did not say kill civilians. He said, as you correctly quoted, to kill their leaders until not one of them is left. That, they do care about, because once you do that, they are annihilated. We certainly have the power to do that. We just need the will. And yes, I would gladly fight myself in that operation and risk my own life to kill every hamas leader in existence. As for your fear of the media and others, I accuse you of going the way of the spies and depending on nedivim instead of God. It's very hard to depend on God when you take real risks in the name of justice. However, I believe that the media will be on our side and that the economy will flush with cash once we eliminate Hamas entirely. Your fears are unfounded, and they are themselves dangerous. Every day Hamas stays existant, Jews are in danger. They must be entirely annihilated, even if they do free Shalit.
2) You seem concerned about international law. My response is that the Torah is above international law, and the Torah sanctions the execution of murderers with blood on their hands. International law was founded in Switzerland. The same country that gave Jews to Hitler during the Holocaust. Sinaitic law is above international law, for God is above the nations.
3) Ethical. You ask if it is moral to execute thousands of prisoners for one Jewish soldier. In principle, of course. It is moral to kill a million murderers for one Jewish soldier. It is even moral to kill a million murderers for NO Jewish soldiers, because murderers deserve death. But we're talking about half of 450, which is 225, all of whom have blood on their hands. It is moral to kill them.
Finally, you write that you consider yourself right of center, and believe in the eternal right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.
But I won't become a murderer and terrorist to make that happen.
Neither will I, Rabbi Spolter, but I will kill murderers for it, and I will terrorize murderers for it also.