It's one of the most vexing issues of the day in this country - does it make sense to open the gates of Israeli jails and release convicted Palestinian Arab prisoners now. And if yes, what do people hope is going to be achieved by it?This afternoon, Infolive.tv posted a streaming video [here] of a debate, moderated by journalist Margot Dudkevitch, between two women with quite different viewpoints on this life-and-death question.
One is Naomi Hazan, a respected professor of political science and previously a member, on behalf of a very left-wing party, of Israel's parliament, the Knesset.
The other is Frimet Roth, one of this blog's two authors and the mother of Malki who was murdered in the Hamas terror attack on Jerusalem's Sbarro restaurant in August 2001.
This being Israel, the debate is a lot closer to the bone than the abstract sort of airey-fairy discussion that sometimes goes on in other places. One of the names being touted for release in the current initiative happens to be that of a convicted murderer who was involved in the murder of our daughter.
Prof. Hazan has very definite views about whether and why that convicted felon ought to go free now, right now. (And about whether he's actually a political prisoner.)
Frimet Roth has a different position.
The streaming video of the debate is here.
