Levy on Shalit, Shalit is not important enough

[Jefferson23]

03.19.2009 | Haaretz

By Gideon Levy

The gun of lies appeared in the opening of the first act. A week after Gilad Shalit was abducted, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said at the July 2, 2006 cabinet meeting, "I want to say something about the soldier's release: We shall not negotiate with Hamas on releasing prisoners, directly or indirectly." A prime minister's word.

Olmert's first lie was enough to denounce his complete conduct in the Shalit affair, but we tend to forgive any lie, even one so blatant, even if uttered by the prime minister.

This firm statement did not stop Olmert from saying, in the same breath, "We'll do everything to bring about Shalit's release - and when I say everything, I mean everything. Everything possible, everything necessary." Nobody pointed out the inherent contradiction.

That too was a lie, as Uri Blau reported in Haaretz yesterday. Secret IDF documents show that finding Shalit was not a first priority. Since then, the lies have been fired volley after volley: brainwashing, distorting and deceiving, with the media's consent and sponsorship. Meanwhile, Shalit rotted in captivity.

remainder here: http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=2765