Feeling stupid over Shalit

Rumors have been swirling about the release of Gilad Shalit being imminent, as a deal is in the final stages of being closed. To this end, Hamas has announced that the current holdup is surrounding an argument over one prisoner - Hamas wants a specific terrorist released and Israel is saying no to that one.

I generally have not commented on the rumors, because they are just rumors. We have heard many times already that a deal is imminent and his release is just days away. It obviously has not happened yet, so I take rumors in the media to be just rumors and not worthy of comment.

This, however, is not just a rumor, but a statement by Hamas. I am not commenting on the rumor of Shalit's coming release, but on the hamas statement of Israel holding up the deal because of one name.

Clearly, Hamas is trying to put pressure on israel by making such an announcement. Most people who hear such a thing will say "One name? one name? that is it? one name, just forget it. throw him in. we are releasing all those others anyway, what is one more?" or something to that effect.

Have you ever argued with a taxi driver over the price of a ride, and he will say to you "you are arguing over 2 shekel?", and then you feel kind of stupid that you are getting all worked up over that small amount.

The truth is, and I often will say something to this affect in similar situations, the other guy is also arguing over just "2 shekels" (or whatever the small amount is), so you should feel no less or more stupid than he should feel, (NOTE: despite my saying this, I am a certified freier and generally will be the one who ends up paying the difference), and you have no reason to not argue for it just like he feels he has the right.

Hamas is doing the same thing. By saying the argument is over one name, they are making us feel stupid, like we are holding up the deal to release Shalit because of one insignificant point in the deal. The truth is, they are holding up the deal just as much, and they should be the ones to forgo that one name, just like they are claiming that we should forgo it.

Hamas knows that we are a democracy, and the government has to keep the people happy. If they can make us feel stupid over this, they will have exerted the appropriate pressure, via the average Israeli citizen, on the Israeli government. And by doing that, they will likely get what they want.

nobody wants to feel stupid.