IMRA'S WEEKLY COMMENTARY ON ISRAEL NATIONAL RADIO - 7 August 2003

Aaron Lerner Date: 7 August 2003

#1 Powell Statement - Still No Meat

"We need to see a more concerted effort against the capacity for terrorist
activity on the Palestinian side," Secretary of State Powell told reporters
in Washington. "It's not enough just to have a cease-fire." He even
conceded that the cease-fire might provide cover for the terrorists to
improve their capabilities or test new weapons.

Should we break out the champagne? Hardly.

Mr. Powell did not set any performance deadlines for the Palestinians. He
didn't even say he would understand it if Israel waits now for the
Palestinians to fulfill this key and fundamental obligation before taking
other measures that might hurt the security of the Jewish State. And he
certainly didn't make it clear that he felt Israel, in light of the
Palestinian abuse of the cease-fire, had the right to do whatever it had to
do to clear out the terror infrastructure that has developed thanks to the
cease-fire.

It's still just empty talk. And the Palestinians know it. That's why they
continue to do nothing. That's why they continue to publicly state that
they have no intention to act against the terror infrastructure.

#2 What Does Tenet Say About Prisoner Releases?

Is Israel obligated to release prisoners within the framework of the
Roadmap?

The Palestinian officials don't even have their act together on that one.
There are statements on official websites of the PA that says that the
Roadmap doesn't actually require the releases but then there are Palestinian
officials who swear that the Tenet Plan, that is supposed to be implemented
in the Roadmap, requires that Israel release all the Palestinians it now
holds.

This is what the Tenet cease-fire plan has to say on this matter:

"Israel will release all Palestinians arrested in security sweeps who have
no association with terrorist activities."
Palestinian-Israeli Security Implementation Work Plan (Tenet cease-fire
plan)
(as published in Ha'aretz, June 14, 2001)

That's Palestinians arrested in "security sweeps'. Not Palestinians arrested
at the scene of the crime. Not Palestinians specifically hunted for and
detained.

That's Palestinians "who have no association with terrorist activities".

Consider the choice of the word "association".

Tenet could have demanded Israel release Palestinians who did not carry out
terror activities, but instead the release is limited to those "who have no
association with terrorist activities".

That's a pretty broad group left behind bars.

If you carry out terrorist activities you stay in jail.

And if you aid in the carrying out of terror activities - and are thus
"associated" with terrorist activities you stay in jail.

In fact, if you are a member of an organization that carries out terrorist
activities you have an "association with terrorist activities".

What then did Tenet have in mind if everyone Israel picked up who was a
member of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah's own terror militia would remain
behind bars after Israel honored its obligation to "release all Palestinians
arrested in security sweeps who have no association with terrorist
activities."?

Tenet wasn't calling for the wholesale release of Palestinian prisoners that
the PA is demanding. He wasn't even demanding Israel release the terrorists
Israel released this week.

All Tenet wanted was for Israel to carefully review the Palestinians who
were picked up in the massive security sweeps that Israel carried out and
make sure that innocent Palestinians weren't stuck behind bars.

And that's pretty much what Israel has been doing on an ongoing basis. After
all, Israel has no interest holding onto people "arrested in security sweeps
who have no association with terrorist activities." And not just for
humanitarian reasons. The prison operation isn't cheap and every
unnecessarily detained person is another mouth to feed and another prisoner
to house and guard.

Why didn't the Tenet plan call for the release of terrorists?

Because it was the "Palestinian-Israeli Security Implementation Work Plan".

That's "Security Implementation" not "Security Depletion".

And releasing terrorists now can only do one thing - reduce security.

#3 Is Israel Even Serious?

When Ahmad El-Sukar the terrorist responsible for the murder of 14 in a Zion
Square bombing, was released a few weeks ago, he signed a declaration that
he would not engage in terror or incite to terror. The declaration also
stated that if he violated the declaration that he understood Israel could
put him back in prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

And yet, only a few weeks after his release, El-Sukar called for the
kidnapping of Israeli soldiers at a rally in Bethlehem, reminding the crowd
that "in return for three soldiers, Israel released 1,150 prisoners in the
famous (Jibril) exchange." He also praised the Palestinians for killing one
Jew for every three Palestinians killed - as compared to the 1:28 kill rate
in the previous "intifada".

When El-Sukar suggested that soldiers be kidnapped and praised the murder of
Israelis he incited for terror. And when he incited for terror he violated
the terms of his release. And when he violated the terms of his release,
the sovereign State of Israel should have issued a warrant for is arrest.

But Israel hasn't.

And El-Sukar knows this. And so do all the terrorists who signed similar
declarations this week before they went home to prepare for the next round.

As a Hamas leader told an Israel Television Channel Two reporter less than a
day after being released today, "I am not going to engage in terror - but,
of course, we disagree on just what terror is."

They are definitely laughing at Israel.

#4 Sharon's PR Team Fails

Let's not forget: this week Israel released terrorists guilty of trying to
murder Israelis after the Oslo Agreement was signed. They wanted to have
"blood on their hands" but missed. This time. So Israel released them - not
because Israel had to but because Prime Minister Sharon hoped that for a few
days - or at least a few hours - Israel would earn some PR points.

That's right. If you want an indication of the quality of the work Mr.
Sharon's team is doing, the only way they can think of to get a few fleeting
hours of positive PR is to release terrorists and drop security roadblocks.
As if a few hours of PR can justify making it easier for the terrorists to
murder more Israelis.

Pathetic? Disturbing? How about unacceptable.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
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