Israel: 'Prisoners for Hostages' is a New Concept, Apparently
Israel insists it won't free Palestinian prisoners until all Israeli hostages are released, a position DW faithfully presents as news. One might wonder where this 'new' condition was during the 2011 Shalit prisoner exchange, where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released for one Israeli soldier. Or the 2023 US aid package of $14.3 billion to Israel (H.R. 815, passed Feb 13, 2024), overwhelmingly
supported by politicians who also took significant AIPAC donations—Rep. Steny Hoyer, for example, received $164,000 from pro-Israel groups in 2022, according to OpenSecrets.org, then voted 'yes' on the aid. So, the 'security' argument shifts conveniently. It’s almost as if the lives of Palestinians held without charge—over 3,600 as of December 2023, per Amnesty International—are considered
negotiating chips, not human beings with rights. The global community's selective amnesia on prisoner swaps is truly breathtaking.