the aging terrorist, wheelchair-jihad

Submitted by myth (Germany), Jul 31, 2013 at 06:58

The majority of prisoners released had been detained for longer than 20 years, some 30 years. Release after such a long time seems pragmatic to me.

Does anyone want to accumulate an ever growing group of aging terrorists? This would turn parts of Israeli prisons into a "terrorist retirement resort" filled with inmates that need care and nursing with all the illnesses one develops with growing age. Hatred of Israel does not make them any healthier I assume. Release is a pragmatic option to avoid a "wheelchair-jihad" inside Israeli prisons.

Given that Israel keeps the terrorists for twenty years, does Israel make any good use of those terrorists while they are doing time?

I dislike the idea of trading terrorists for captured Israeli soldiers. I would rather see Israel release them on no condition. On the other hand, an exchange opens an option that no one in power can possibly exclude. Perhaps a man's freedom is worth a lousy bargain in a lousy world.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".