Israel pays protection money to Hamas instead of getting the bodies of our fallen soldiers back from the terror organization. Israel sends trucks of cash to Gaza on a regular basis and provides it with free water and electricity.
Hamas killed Oslo a long time ago. Israel has no obligation to make these payments. At this point they constitute a type of protection money. We pay Hamas because, if we don’t, it will shoot rockets into Tel Aviv. Just like we pay protection money to the Bedouins in the Negev to “guard” the cell phone antennas there…
Politicians will always seek to preserve the existing order (and their seats). They make a simple calculation: It is easier to deal with the pressure from the family of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, to blame someone else (this time it was the Egyptians), and to hold out a bit longer until the next round of fighting than it is to confront Hamas.
Politicians will never look the public squarely in the eye and explain that our state exists because of protection money – that it is a state that buys quiet in exchange for its captive and dead soldiers – and also the best of its money and water.
Ultimately, because of our policies, we will have to fight a war many times more difficult than the one we would fight now if we chose to do the right thing.
“You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, and you will have war,” said Winston Churchill to Neville Chamberlain.
When we have leaders instead of politicians, the dear families will receive the bodies of their loved ones – without paying protection money.