Barak: Netanyahu Opposed Shalit Deal, I Convinced Him

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barak netanyahuA tape released Monday revealed former Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak’s criticism of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s handling of the Gilad Shalit case. In the recording, which was aired by Israel’s Channel 2 News, Barak was heard saying that the prime minister consistently opposed the deal that could bring Shalit home from captivity.

According to Barak, once Shalit had been released in 2012, the most important thing to the prime minister was getting the first photo with the formerly imprisoned soldier.

Barak said that planning of the event at which Shalit arrived after his release was supposed to be the military’s responsibility, but the Prime Minister’s Office was directing every move. “His office sent teams to organize it and everything was directed towards one thing: For the picture to be the first picture when the kid (Shalit) comes down and for him to be with only Bibi in the frame.”

Barak continued criticizing Netanyahu in the recording. “Bibi strongly feels that it’s really the picture, the word, that’s more important than the actual deed.”

Barak, who was one of the politicians closest to Netanyahu, said in the recording that the prime minister opposed to prisoner exchange deal to secure Shalit’s release, but was convinced after being pressured, including by Barak.

“I bothered him for months to do two things,” said Barak. “To do Gilad Shalit and then to accept the Shamgar Commission (a committee that submitted guidelines on prisoner exchange negotiations). In the end he was convinced that he had to release Shalit and wasn’t convinced to do the rest of what I asked, and that’s how he found himself when the three teenagers were kidnapped. There was something embarrassingly petty about him.”

It was revealed on Sunday that Barak had referred to Netanyahu as a person who is “weak and doesn’t want to take difficult steps unless you force him.” In another recording, Barak said that Netanyahu was “shrouded in a kind of deep pessimism.

YNET NEWS ISRAEL

{Matzav.com Israel}


5 COMMENTS

  1. Netanyahu may likely have been right! You, Mr. Barak were ready to give the whole of Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv away and would throw in Yehuda and Shomron, but to his credit, Arafat declined.
    How many of the Shalit deal killed Tidden in cold blood? How many have gone to continue after released to terrorize again?
    I love Shalit, but I love his victims too. Barak, you’re not a winner!

  2. reply to #1 and #2
    I see this as the same shaylah dealt with throughout the ages. Pidyon shevuyim was always a moral dilemma, bc if you ransom the person it encourages pirates to kidnap more. I don’t believe you can find proof that it is assur to redeem captives.
    Its the same here. this was pidyon shevuyim. You can look at it as a mitzvah. As to your concern that the released terrorists will likely kill again, I can argue thats Hashem’s problem. Terrorisim will be carried out regardless. People who were destined to die by terrorism will die, Whether from these hands or different terrorists, it will happen. All we can do is what we can do, and Bibi did that, he redeemed a jewish life.

    Even America wrestles with this moral issue. Recently it was announced that America will no longer prosecute families that redeem their captured family members from terrorists. Even though this will encourage more kidnappings, even though the money will be used to fund terrorism. I believe this decision is more in line with jewish hashkafa then your reasoning to prohibit the Shalit deal

  3. This was one of the most wrenching decisions Israel has had to make. I don’t believe the trade should have been made, but it was done with rachmonus on a young captive who was held in horrific conditions and subjected to psychological torture for years.

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