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Prisoner Releases Are a Terror Victim’s Nightmare
Gilad Shalit salutes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after prisoner exchange deal in Oct. 2011. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
JNS.org – I knew this day would come. Ever since Israel began to release prisoners as a “goodwill” measure and for hostages, I knew that the time would come when terrorists with “blood on their hands” would be released.
As if the result of freeing terror prisoners in 2011 in exchange for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held by Hamas for five years, wasn’t enough of a warning, the next round of releases will be just as troublesome for Israelis.
Following the murder of my daughter Alisa in a 1995 terror attack in Kfar Darom, Israel was able to capture, convict and sentence to life in prison some of the terrorists involved in her death. While they sit today in a maximum-security prison under life sentences, I am sure they are smiling more than usual because of the potential of their being included in the list of those soon-to-be released prisoners.
Sure, the Israeli hostage families are delighted over the prospect of being united with their loved ones who have been held captive for more than a year in indescribable conditions below ground in Gaza. I’m delighted, too, that families will be reunited, but my joy is tempered by knowing that these terrorists are being turned loose to commit terror again.
This is not my first experience coping with Israel’s determination to release prisoners. Twice before in the last 25 years when prisoner releases were being carried out, I eagerly sought the list of prisoners being released. And when I did get it, I carefully combed the list of Arabic names transliterated into Hebrew looking for the names Nidal Moustafa Bouri, Ahmed Douad Abu Dachi, Maram Ibrahim Salameh and Al-Halim Saheb Omar Balbasi, each serving life sentences for the Kfar Darom bombing. Unlike the United States, Israel does not have a death penalty for terrorists.
There are good reasons to not release convicted terrorists. While such decisions are often driven by diplomatic, security or humanitarian considerations, they carry significant risks and negative implications. The current deal to release prisoners is harmful to Israel, and, in the long run, Western society for several reasons.
The release of prisoners diminishes Israel’s deterrence against terrorism. If it is Israel’s policy of harsh consequences for those who commit acts of terror to deter potential attackers, releasing such prisoners undermines this goal, signaling to its enemies that even those responsible for the deaths of innocent citizens may eventually be freed. The perception of accountability is weakened.
The release of terrorists emboldens groups such as Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad to commit terror attacks, believing that the price for their actions may not be permanent incarceration. When prisoners with blood on their hands are released, it is celebrated as a victory by terrorist organizations. They portray such releases as evidence of their strength and ability to pressure Israel. Public celebrations, parades and glorification of released prisoners not only boost the morale of these organizations but also strengthen their standing among supporters. This can lead to increased recruitment, fundraising and operational activity, thereby escalating threats to Israeli security.
Releasing prisoners, particularly those convicted of murder, can erode public trust in the government and judicial system as it is viewed as undermining the rule of law. Many Israelis feel that such decisions betray the memory of victims and the principles of justice. Victims and the families of victims often bear lifelong scars—both physical and emotional. The outrage and anguish are palpable. We feel that they and their loved ones’ suffering has been tossed aside for political expediency.
Perhaps the most dangerous consequence of releasing prisoners with blood on their hands is the potential to incentivize kidnappings and hostage-taking. Terrorist organizations have historically used Israeli captives as leverage to negotiate the release of prisoners. For example, the 2011 exchange of more than 1,000 prisoners, including many with blood on their hands, for Shalit set a precedent that such tactics can yield significant results.
Case in point: Yahya Sinwar, the orchestrator of the Oct. 7 attacks and their aftermath, was serving multiple life sentences for orchestrating the murders of both Israelis and Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. Released in the Shalit prisoner exchange, he ascended to a leadership position within Hamas, becoming its de facto leader in Gaza until he was killed by the Israel Defense Forces last year.
As David M. Weinberg, senior fellow and director of the Jerusalem-based Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy, wrote last year, “The danger of mass-releasing Palestinian terrorists is clear. A deal that frees vicious murderers of Israeli Jews … in exchange for Israel’s innocent suffering hostages endangers even more Israeli lives down the road—and that road is not notably long.”
The post Prisoner Releases Are a Terror Victim’s Nightmare first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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British, Israeli Soccer Teams Celebrate Return of Hamas Hostage, Sports Fan Emily Damari
Released British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari arrives at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, after being held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in this image obtained by Reuters on Jan. 19, 2025. Photo: Maayan Toaf/GPO/Handout via REUTERS
The English Premier League soccer team Tottenham Spurs and the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in Israel celebrated the return home of British-Israeli dual citizen Emily Damari as one of the three civilian hostages who were released from Hamas captivity on Sunday as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and the terrorist organization.
Damari, a 28-year-old passionate Tottenham supporter, as well as Nova music festival survivor Romi Gonen, 23, and veterinary nurse Doron Steinbrecher, 30, returned to Israel on Sunday morning after being abducted more than 15 months ago during the Hamas-led terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Damari, the only British hostage still in captivity, and Steinbrecher were both kidnapped from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
On Sunday, the official account on X for Tottenham supporters in Israel shared a photo of Damari and the caption read, “Emily is coming home TODAY! #ShesOneOfOurOwn.” At several soccer matches since Damari’s abduction, fans of the north London team have chanted “Emily Damari, she’s one of our own, she’s one of our own, Emily Damari, bring her home.”
Former Tottenham player Ramon Vega also shared his excitement about Damari’s return. After Tottenham loss to Everton 3-2 on Sunday, the 53-year-old Swiss soccer player wrote on X: “At least one positive thought today from the Spurs family! Welcome home, Emily. COYS Spurs!”
At least one positive thought today from the Spurs family! Welcome home, Emily. COYS Spurs! https://t.co/i1E9PecY5w
— Ramon Vega (@Ramon_Vega71) January 19, 2025
Tottenham fans have shown solidarity with Damari many times since she was kidnapped in 2023. They released yellow balloons in her honor, hung posters about her, and tied hundreds of yellow ribbons around the team’s home stadium. Last week, Arsenal and Tottenham fans united in support of Damari at the north London derby.
Maccabi Tel Aviv additionally celebrated Damari’s return home on Sunday. “Our Emily is back home!” the team wrote in a Hebrew-language post on Instagram. “We waited and prayed for 471 days for your return and today the heart is filled with happiness that you are back with us together with Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbercher.” Former Maccabi Tel Aviv player Yonatan Cohen, who now plays for the Australian team Melbourne City, also commented on Damari’s return in a Hebrew-language post on Instagram and revealed that he has been in contact with her family since her abduction.
“After the cursed day of October 7, when Emily was taken, her family reached out to me and told me about her — her joy for life, her strength, and the light she brought everywhere she went. Her story deeply touched me, and since that day, I’ve been in regular contact with her family. Emily has been on my mind constantly,” he wrote on Instagram. “For every match, in every stadium, I wore a shirt with her picture on it, and I prayed every day that she would return to her beloved family. With every goal and every happy moment, I wished in my heart for her to smile her big smile again. When we moved to Australia, I packed her shirt with me, and I’ve been waiting ever since for the day she would become a symbol of our victory.”
“Emily’s touching comeback, full of pride and joy, is not just a victory for her family and the people of Israel — it is a victory of faith and of hope, that the good will always win,” Cohen added. “Emily and family, today I’m excited to send you a strong hug from afar and wish you to quickly return to normal, wrapped in the warmth and love of your family and relatives. I’m already waiting to see each other when I get back to Israel. You are our victory!”
The Israeli soccer team Hapoel Haifa shared several messages on social media celebrating the return of the three hostages with special attention given to Gonen, an avid fan of the team who they’ve honored in previous matches. Hapoel Haifa team members and its coach recorded a personal video message for Gonen, welcoming her back home. They also offered her free season tickets and a shirt bearing her name. Hapoel Haifa said that on Monday, before its match against M.S. Ashdod, it will hold a ceremony to celebrate the return of the three hostages.
The post British, Israeli Soccer Teams Celebrate Return of Hamas Hostage, Sports Fan Emily Damari first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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The Perils of BDS at UK’s Bates College
Anti-Israel demonstration supporting the BDS movement, Paris France, June 8, 2024. Photo: Claire Serie / Hans Lucas via Reuters Connect
At Bates College, we pride ourselves on cultivating critical thinkers equipped to tackle the world’s challenges, and to help humanity.
Yet, the local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) seems determined to undermine these principles by championing the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. BDS is not a campaign rooted in justice; it is an effort to destroy the Jewish State, through the use of economic harm, divisiveness, and intellectual dishonesty.
Last year, SJP urged Bates President Garry Jenkins to mark the beginning of his tenure by disclosing the college’s investment portfolio and divesting from what they call “systems of oppression and genocide.” While their rhetoric may resonate with the uncritical, it collapses under scrutiny — because Israel does not commit genocide, and does not operate under a system of oppression.
The BDS movement draws its inspiration from the international pressure that helped end apartheid in South Africa. But in completely distorting the meaning and history of apartheid, BDS is not only dangerous, but spreading historical falsehoods.
The term “apartheid,” as defined by the United Nations, refers to policies designed to establish and maintain racial domination. To equate this with Israel’s treatment of its citizens and its handling of territorial disputes is an egregious distortion. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has granted full citizenship, legal equality, and access to state institutions to all its Arab citizens. Israeli Arabs vote, serve in the Knesset, and hold prominent positions in society — a reality that utterly contradicts the claim of systemic racial domination.
Critics, including SJP, often point to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as evidence of Israel’s so-called apartheid policies. But these claims ignore the historical and legal context.
Under the Oslo Accords, Palestinians in these territories have self-governance. Their status is not the result of racial discrimination, but of the unresolved conflict and their own leadership’s persistent refusal to negotiate in good faith. And just as Americans and Canadians do not have the same rights — it is absurd to suggest that people inside and outside of Israel should all be covered by the same set of laws. To suggest that Israel owes full citizenship rights to individuals outside its recognized borders is as absurd as expecting Americans to vote in Canadian elections.
In practice, BDS’ initiatives have also inflicted serious economic hardship on Palestinians. Consider the 2014 closure of SodaStream’s West Bank factory, where 90% of the workforce was Palestinian. Workers lost jobs offering wages and benefits far superior to local alternatives — all because BDS advocates prioritized ideological purity over pragmatic solutions.
Before the current war, over 100,000 Palestinians enjoyed similar employment opportunities in Israel. If BDS advocates had their way, how many Palestinian families would be left to suffer under the weight of their society’s self-wrought economic failings?
Even prominent Palestinian voices reject BDS. Human rights activist Bassam Eid has labeled the movement counterproductive, arguing that it fosters “hatred, enmity, and polarization” rather than advancing Palestinian nationhood. He’s right. BDS isn’t about building a future; it’s about tearing one down, regardless of the collateral damage.
At its core, the BDS movement is antithetical to the ideals of a liberal arts education. Rather than promoting intellectual rigor and open dialogue, it traffics in ideological conformity and intellectual censorship. By embracing BDS, SJP pushes Bates toward a path of illiberalism, where complex geopolitical realities are flattened into simplistic slogans and dissent is stifled. This is not progress — it is regression.
As the new semester begins, Bates College has a choice to make. Will it remain a place where critical thinking and genuine dialogue flourish, or will it succumb to the pressures of a movement that substitutes propaganda for policy and division for dialogue? If SJP’s agenda prevails, Bates will fail its mission and betray the very principles it claims to uphold.
David King is a recent graduate of Bates College and a fellow with CAMERA on Campus, which works to promote fair and accurate coverage of Israel and the Middle East in academic settings.
The post The Perils of BDS at UK’s Bates College first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Yemen’s Houthis to Target Only Israel-Linked Vessels Following Gaza Deal
Ships are docked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen, July 31, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
Yemen’s Houthis will limit their attacks on commercial vessels to Israel–linked ships provided the Gaza ceasefire is fully implemented, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOOC) said.
The Sanaa-bsed HOCC, which liaises between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators and is associated with the Houthi military, said it was stopping “sanctions” against vessels owned by US or British individuals or entities, as well as ships sailing under their flags.
“We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, or the usurping Israeli entity, the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor,” it said in an email sent to shipping industry officials dated Jan. 19.
“You will be promptly informed of such measures should they be implemented.”
The HOCC said the Iran-backed Houthis, an internationally designated terrorist organization, would stop targeting Israeli-linked ships “upon the full implementation of all phases of the agreement.”
Many of the world’s biggest shipping companies have suspended voyages through the Red Sea and diverted their vessels around southern Africa to avoid being attacked.
The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and sunk two vessels, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers.
They have targeted the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are joined by the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait, a chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Hamas released three Israeli hostages in Gaza and Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of a ceasefire suspending a 15-month-old war.
CAUTION
Executives from shipping, insurance, and retail industries told Reuters last week that they were not ready to return to the Red Sea trade route because of uncertainty over whether the Houthis would continue to attack shipping.
A spokesperson for Germany container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said on Monday the company was still monitoring the situation, adding: “We will return to the Red Sea when it is safe to do so.”
The Houthis have attacked ships in recent months based on outdated information, Jakob Larsen, chief safety & security officer with shipping association BIMCO, said.
“In recent months, they have made several false claims about successful attacks, thereby slightly undermining their credibility,” he said on Monday.
“Assuming the ceasefire holds and the US also refrains from using force, shipping companies are expected to gradually resume operations through the Red Sea.”
Insurers were also were waiting for test voyages to determine if war risk premiums would ease, market sources said on Monday, asking not to be named.
Higher war risk insurance premiums, paid when vessels sail through the Red Sea, have meant additional costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a seven-day voyage for any ships still sailing through the area.
The Houthis hold the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader and its 25 crew members, which was seized by the militia’s commandos in international waters in November 2023.
“The Filipinos, Mexicans, Romanians, Bulgarians, and Ukrainian who were on board are desperate to leave Yemen,” the vessel’s owner Galaxy Maritime Ltd and manager STAMCO Ship Management said on Monday.
“Some have been hospitalized with malaria and one can only guess at their mental state.”
The post Yemen’s Houthis to Target Only Israel-Linked Vessels Following Gaza Deal first appeared on Algemeiner.com.