On April 14 of this year—on Passover night—an Israeli man, Baruch Mizrahi, a husband and father of five, was murdered in cold blood in front of his family by the father/son terror team Ziad Awad and Izz Eddin Hassan Ziad Awad. What makes this even more tragic is that Mizrahi’s wife and kids will have to live knowing that their father didn’t have to do die.
Let me explain.
In 2006, Hamas kidnapped Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit. Like most Israeli soldiers, Shalit didn’t look like a hardened veteran of war, but more like a computer science major. Because all Israelis must join the army, he had to put his life on hold for three years to serve.
He was held in captivity for five years until Benjamin Netanyahu, due to immense public pressure, agreed to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad. Yes, 1,027 prisoners for one.
Everyone knew it was stupid. Even those for it, knew it was stupid—but that is how much we love our soldiers. We knowingly did something that could harm us in the future to get our boy back now. That is how much more we value our young men than Hamas theirs—at a ratio of 1,027 to 1.
The head of Hamas’ military wing, Ahmed Al-Ja’abari, was quoted in the London-based Al Hayat newspaper saying these prisoners were responsible for murdering hundreds of Israelis.
Al-Ja’abari added that 41 prisoners were deported, most of them being affiliated with Hamas, and most of these were of the group that Israel refused to release. Al-Ja’abai said that those deportees collectively killed 569 Israelis, and therefore deportation was the only possible way to secure their release.
One of those released was the aforementioned Ziad Awad. Awad then recruited his 18-year-old son, telling him, “according to Islam, whoever kills a Jew goes to heaven.” Yes, the religion that both Presidents Bush and Obama have called “a religion of peace,” promises heaven to Jew-killers.
This wasn’t the first time Awad has murdered. He was in prison for 12 years for the killing of Palestinian collaborators with Israel. Apparently, he did not feel that his place in heaven was secure—since he was merely killing his own people. Killing a Jew would certainly gain him a place in Allah’s kingdom.
The fact is, even though our hearts were breaking for Gilad Shalit, we traded a living hostage for at least one dead Israeli—a husband and father of five. We released 1,027 prisoners, including many killers with Israeli blood on their hands, and it has resulted in at least one more Israeli death.
Rather than berate Israeli politicians, the Shalit family or the ever-naïve left over the past, I simply want us to learn from our mistakes. Trading soldiers for convicted terrorists is simply thinking with our hearts and not our minds. It doesn’t end well.
“Today it was publicized that Baruch Mizrahi of blessed memory, who was killed in April, was killed by a terrorist released in the Shalit deal,” Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. “When the Israeli government releases terrorists, at that very moment we seal the fate of entire families, we just don’t know yet the victims’ faces or names. After 30 years it is clear that Israel should not release any more terrorists, in any situation, period. Today more than ever we need to say clearly: We will not release any more terrorists.”
Bennett, a newcomer to the political spotlight, is so right. We must make it clear to Hamas that this strategy will not work for them. First of all, it encourages more kidnappings. When you buy your child candy because he throws a public temper tantrum, you are training your child for future negotiations.
Is it a coincidence that the three Israeli teens were kidnapped just two weeks after American President Obama traded a deserter at best, and traitor at worst, for five of the most violent Islamic radicals on earth? Was Hamas not encouraged to see Israel’s main ally make such a deal?
And now, as it was discovered Monday, those boys have been mercilessly slaughtered. Where does it end?
And secondly, murder is addictive. It is not normal human behavior. This is why murderers go away for life or get the death penalty and there are lesser sentences on involuntary manslaughter (killing by accident, without malice).
While that person should be punished, he is unlikely to kill again. But cold-blooded murderers love death. And Hamas has created a culture of murder and death. In this video from Hamas they claim to love death more than Israelis love life.
If Hamas terrorists who have killed are released, it is likely they will kill again.
Read the harrowing account from the slain Mizrahi’s wife, who survived the attack, as they were on their way to celebrate the Passover on April 14.
Mizrahi, senior police officer, was killed while driving to Hebron to celebrate Passover with his wife’s family. His pregnant wife, Hadas, was moderately injured in the attack.
Hadas Mizrahi told the Ynet news website that, while driving, her husband had seen the terrorist and cried, “They’re shooting, they’re shooting, there’s a terrorist.” After her husband was shot, she took the wheel, drove out of sight and alerted the authorities.
“I covered my blood with a rag,” said Hadas, who was shot twice and broke a rib. “I saw that Baruch was dead. When the soldiers arrived, I told them, ‘Bandage me and take the children to the armored vehicle, so that they don’t see their father lying [there] dead.'”
Please, Mr. Prime Minister … Bibi … please, no more deals with terrorists. Instead, let them know what price they will pay when they kidnap Israelis.
Ron Cantor is the director of Messiah’s Mandate International in Israel, a Messianic ministry dedicated to taking the message of Jesus from Israel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Cantor also travels internationally teaching on the Jewish roots of the New Testament. He serves on the pastoral team of Tiferet Yeshua, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tel Aviv. His newest book is Identity Theft. Follow him at @RonSCantor on Twitter.
For the original article, visit messiahsmandate.org.
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