Funny how Hamas hasn’t managed to fulfill its promises to Jimmy Carter, the mediator extraordinaire who went to Gaza and declared Israel to be the criminals, not Hamas.
Captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit has still not written the letter Hamas promised would be given to his family, Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, was quoted as saying Sunday by Qatari newspaper A-Sharq.
Some six weeks ago, former US president Jimmy Carter brokered a Hamas pledge to send a letter from Schalit to his parents in a meeting with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Damascus.
Yeah, it’s hard to write if you’re dead. We have seen no proof of life from any of the captives of 2006. Until we do, I’m assuming the worst—which is one reason why I oppose an exchange of prisoners. Not without proof of life.
Chalk up another “victory” for the expert negotiator—the one who stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons—oh, wait. The one who oversaw “free and fair” elections in Venezuela—oh, wait. The one who helped Robert Mugabe come to power in Zimbabwe—oh, wait.
I guess the best news here is that Israel basically ignores Carter.
The last time we’ve heard from Gilad Shalit was in May 2007.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3417268,00.html
His voice sounded surprisingly stable and strong, although you could hear from the way he put his words that he had to read a text written by his captors.
This poor boy, his poor parents.
And even then …
The message was clearly dictated. Which is to say that it really isn’t clear whether it was in fact recorded almost a year after his abduction (as he recites) or a day after his abduction (for release later). The fact is that Hamas has never offered conclusive proof that Gilad is alive, which they easily could (a photo with a current newspaper, for example). So until they do, it’s prudent to assume the worst while praying that we’re wrong.
Meryl:
If memory serves, Carter was also an observer who helped to ensure that the last elections in the Palestinian territories was “free and fair”.