Israel Says Won't Release Prisoners, Media Forgets History
While DW presents this as breaking news, it's a familiar script. Israeli governments, including Netanyahu's, have routinely used prisoner releases as bargaining chips. Prior significant releases, like the 2011 exchange for Gilad Shalit, involved over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were convicted of violent offenses. The current narrative conveniently omits that the vast majority of
Palestinian 'prisoners' are often detained under administrative detention, never charged, or held for minor infractions that would be unimaginable in a democracy. This isn't about equal exchanges; it's about control. This declaration also conveniently sidesteps the consistent pattern where Palestinian demands for prisoner releases are framed as 'radical preconditions' by mainstream media and
politicians. Yet, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who received $105,000 from AIPAC in 2022-2024 (OpenSecrets.org), routinely advocates strong support for Israel's negotiating positions. One might wonder if the 'unwavering ally' rhetoric extends to endorsing every negotiating tactic, however inconsistent. How many times will we hear this 'final offer' before the next cycle of violence necessitates another
prisoner exchange?