We need new way forward to deal with terrorists

In August 2014, Hamas ambushed and killed our son Hadar Goldin two hours into an internationally mediated humanitarian ceasefire during Operation Cast Lead. Only adding to the barbarity of their heinous act, Hamas terrorists dragged Hadar’s body into the Gaza Strip through an attack tunnel beneath Israel’s border. Along with the body of Oron Shaul and two Israeli civilians, Hamas continues to use our son as a macabre bargaining chip in their efforts to secure the release of Hamas terrorists currently imprisoned in Israel.

Through our own personal tragedy, we feel that there is an opportunity to create a new way forward in dealing not only with Hamas, but with all terrorist organizations that flagrantly violate international law and fail to demonstrate basic human decency. While Hamas recently released a new charter, their support for terror and blatant disregard of humanitarian law remains unchanged.

Western nations have unfortunately been dealing with the scourge of terrorism for decades. The United States has a longstated policy of not negotiating with terrorists. Israel should draw inspiration from the American model, and our leaders should reconsider and revise their failed policy of striking deals with Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations. A new paradigm is urgently needed for all democratic states, whereby they turn the perceived assets of these terrorists into liabilities.

Over the years, successive Israeli governments have paid progressively exorbitant prices to return our captured soldiers and civilians, as well as the remains of our fallen soldiers. We completely reject any proposal that would release living Palestinian terrorists back into Gaza in exchange for the return of our son’s body for proper burial in his homeland. Moreover, we feel that the very nature of Israel’s increasingly painful exchanges go against the interests of all peace-loving nations and play directly into hands of the despicable terrorists organizations who seek to employ kidnapping and blackmail as tactics.

The Israeli government is in a unique position in terms of its relationship with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Israel every day goes to great lengths to illustrate our country’s commitment to humanitarian principles. Despite years of barbaric terrorist attacks and ongoing rocket fire from Gaza designed to deliver maim, kill and terrorize our citizens, Israel continues to provide assistance that far exceeds the basic needs of Gaza. We are calling for this madness to end today.

While the government of Israel should always maintain its rigid commitment to international law and humanitarian values, we should not provide one iota more than the bare minimum to Gaza until our own civilians and fallen soldiers are returned.

Additionally, Hamas terrorists imprisoned in Israel should not be provided any benefits above the bare minimum required by law. We should end the practice of allowing them family visits until our own boys are brought home. Israel and its allies, including its most important friend the United States of America, should also continue to look for additional means to apply pressure to Hamas and the nations that choose to support and fund them until the terrorist group ends its vile policy of holding civilians and the bodies of our citizens in direct contravention of international law.

As President Trump prepares to travel to Israel, we believe that he has a historic opportunity to positively impact the decades old war on terror. The Trump administration has shown creativity and boldness when it comes to looking at old situations in new ways, and exploring new approaches to engaging with entities around the world.

We must no longer negotiate with murderers on their terms. We should immediately end the practice of rewarding terrorists for their cruel acts and depravity. Instead, we need to turn their deeds against them and punish them until they are forced to do the right thing.