(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - The terrorist groups that kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit demand that Israel release terrorists as "prisoners of war" in exchange for him. The distinction between military and civilian targets is a foundation stone of international humanitarian law. "War crimes" are acts that are not permissible even during a state of war and regardless of whether a state is otherwise legitimately exercising its right of self-defense. It is precisely this distinction that terrorists do not recognize and rampantly violate. Shalit was a military target, but this does not whitewash the status of the terrorists Hamas seeks to release from Israeli jails. According to recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, there is no right or obligation to treat captured terrorists as prisoners of war. Moreover, even prisoners of war are not normally exchanged except in the context of a peace agreement. Israel's government is right, therefore, to have ruled out the release of convicted terrorists in Israeli jails.
2006-07-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive