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Prisoner Swaps, Coalition Politics, Iran and the ICC(50:33)
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It was reported today, after the lifting of a gag order, that two Israelis have been held in Gaza since last October. One is an Arab-Israeli Bedouin; the other is an Ethiopian Israeli. Both apparently crossed the border into Gaza on their own, voluntarily. The panel discusses the accusations of racism leveled against the government for not making a greater effort to rescue the members of Israel’s minority communities, and addresses the question of whether this will or should lead to another prisoner swap.
By executing what some might call a sneaky maneuver, the opposition to PM Netanyahu’s government was able to win a vote on the first reading of an unimportant bill, proving, they say, just how fragile the coalition is. The panel argues about whether this is good politics or childish games.
Reports coming out of Vienna at the time of the broadcast indicate Russia and Iran are expecting a deal to be signed within hours. This comes a day after US President Barack Obama put the odds of a deal at less than 50/50. The panel not only speculates on the likelihood of a deal, but also on what it will mean to Israel’s prime minister.
In an apparent about-face, Israel has decided to open dialogue with the International Criminal Court over the preliminary investigation into potential war crimes during the Gaza war. The panel discusses the possible reasons for this change in policy.
After a man is killed on a Washington DC Metro train, being stabbed more than 30 times while other riders looked on, the panel asks whether the outcome would have been different in Israel.
Host: Glen Ladau
Panel: Mordechai Twersky, Gil Hoffman, Mottle Wolfe, Daniel Seaman