" ... Israel has agreed to swap a notorious baby killer, and other terrorists, for the corpses of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. ... "

this only teaches the terrorists to kill Jewish prisoners

why should they keep a Jewish prisoner alive when they can accomplish the same release by just exchanging the dead bodies?!

assuming there is a vocal component in Israel that cares about the welfare of captured soldiers and wanting to see them returned alive,
maybe they can protest against this insane policy of the current Israeli leadership

why is there no capital punishment for these convicted murderers?

Robert,
Kuntar did not kill the child first and then the father. He is much more of a monster than that. He shot the father in front of the child so that her father's death would be the last thing the little girl ever saw. Then he smashed in her head against a rock with the butt of his rifle. I wrote about Samir Kuntar two years ago: Who is Samir Kuntar?

The news media... even the well-meaning news media... enables this kind of poor policy makig with its "personalizing the story" methods. This is drummed into every journalism student: don't report stories in a "BIG" way, make them about individual people.

So, the story about an ongoing war between Israel and terrorist groups like Hizbullah is reduced to stories about the captured Israeli soldier, or the "innocent bystander" killed.

Makes me wonder if we ever find a cure for kidney disease if the news media will focus on the janitor at the dialysis center who is now, sadly, out of a job.

This from Joel Weisz who cannot sign in because of internet blocks where he works:

“I wonder if the Regev and Goldwasser families will still feel that the swap is justified - or even worth it - if these released murderers kill more Jews in the future, thus creating more grieving orphans and widows. In the Middle Ages, King Rudolph I imprisoned Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg (Germany) and would only release him upon payment of a ransom, but Rabbi Meir refused to allow anybody to ransom him (he died in prison), to show the nobility that you cannot kidnap Jewish leaders and expect to receive a payoff. Unfortunately, that measure of clarity of thought and self-sacrifice for fellow Jews is sadly lacking today.”

Exdem:

You write: Why should they keep a Jewish prisoner alive when they can accomplish the same release by just exchanging the dead bodies?!

Absolutely.

This swap guarantees that kidnapped Jews will be murdered, saving the IslamoNazis the trouble of hiding captives and spending money on food and shelter.

Shrink Wrapped:

Thanks so much for the horrifying correction. Unfortunately, your link did not come through.

Jake:

The news media are in the same business I am: entertainment.

But I know it and I'm proud of it.

The mainstream media make believe that they are trading in, ahem, objective truth.

But they are, for the most part, a blot on truth and decency.

Joel:

The sum of 23,000 silver guilders was actually raised by the Jewish community to ransom The Maharam of Rothenberg, a huge amount of money, but Reb Meir forbade the deal from going through. He wrote that this would only encourage kings and princes to kidnap more Rabbis.

The Maharam of Rothenberg died after 7 years of cruel captivity.

Perhaps Nasrallah should receive Kuntar in the manner in which he should be delivered...pieces.

I encourage all to read Carolyn Glick's recent op-ed on the this subject.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214492517226&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
She obviously denounces this atrocious exchange of captives and villifies the inept Israeli govt. for taking such a position.
Taking Hizbulla's lead Hamas has now upped the ante for Shalit's release.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214726160901&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Olmert the most corrupt official to ever hold office is using Sharon's tactics of deflection to perfection.

G-D HELP US

There is but one hope for Israel to maintain its image of strength in the Arab world...

That a brave policeman or guard will take matters into his own hands, kill Kuntar, and stop the madness.

Unfortunately, I doubt that anyone is willing to take that risk.

V:

I had a very interesting conversation with a well respected counter-terrorism analyst about deterrence. He stated: “The only measures that will defeat the Arabs is for Israel to kill the terrorists and their entire families.”

But if they're all just love being martyrs, then won't a whole family of martyrs be even better?

JACK:

"Perhaps Nasrallah should receive Kuntar in the manner in which he should be delivered...pieces."

i posted that i have no problem exchanging kuntar for israeli bodies . . . so long as he is executed first. although some commentors preferred that he be returned alive and use him as bait to then eliminate others as well

http://agmk.blogspot.com/2008/06/execute-sammy-kuntar-now.html

ROBERT:

"This swap guarantees that kidnapped Jews will be murdered"

shalit's family wanted to sue to have the deal blocked for this reason. even if he is still alive, hamas has no need to keep him alive any longer

Mata Hari:

I strongly support creating as many "martyrs" as possible.

Lion:

Israel should execute all terrorists with blood on their hands. Live terrorists are used by the jihadists as another asymetrical weapon in the war against Israel.