Yaakov Amidror poses the question, seeking to understand where Israel draws the line of compromising critical national interests’ verses our desire to save captives.

Suppose that Hamas succeeds in abducting 10 IDF soldiers, then demanding that Israel abandon the entire Oslo Accord process. Undoubtedly, only a small number of people would support such a move he states with a modicum of confidence.

What if the same Hamas demanded that Israel leave Ir Dovid (The City of David), almost no one would support such a move.

Amidror states that everyone agrees that there is a price that is just too high, that would never be paid to release captives, but the question remains just where the red line is.

Amidror does not enter into depth regarding the current cases, Goldwasser and Regev with Hizbullah, and Gilad Shalit with Hamas. In both cases the retired senior IDF office feels Israel has complicated matters significantly.

Regarding Hizbullah, the question remains if Israel should reject a deal reached by German’s mediators. He feels the deal should move forward.

Regarding Gilad Shalit, Amidror stated Israel made a major strategic error by not linking the soldier’s release to the current ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Doing so he explains would have at the very least removed the bad feeling regarding the agreement in addition to possibly minimizing the strategic damage that resulted from the ceasefire as it stands today.

While the price being demanded by Hamas is too high, Israel has left herself with very little in the way of bargaining power. Israel has lost all her ability to pressure Hamas other than Egyptian good will to act on Jerusalem’s behalf.

Amidror does stress that with all the criticism surrounding the current situation, based on his own “frustrating experience in these matters”, accusations that Israel abandons its soldiers due to a lack of concern is “nothing more than wicked libel”.

Such statements he states can only come from those who do not care or are simply irresponsible he states.

“Israel makes mistakes but she does not abandon her captives. This was written by a subordinate of mine, a seasoned intelligence officer by the name of Danny, and I am pleased to adopt them as if they were my own words,” concluded Amidror.

Amidror is a Shomer Shabbos retired Major-General, a former commander of the IDF’s National Defense College and the IDF Staff and Command College. He is also the former head of the IDF’s research and assessment division, with special responsibility for preparing the National Intelligence Assessment. In addition, he served as the military secretary of the Minister of Defense.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Isreal)