TPS reports that Leila Khaled, the iconic Palestinian terrorist, was scheduled to address a conference on “The Role of Women in the Palestinian Popular Struggle” on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the European Parliament.
A brief reminder: Khaled was a key figure in the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s Black September back in 1970, when Palestinians aimed to overthrow the Jordanian government and hijacked planes with abandon. Khaled’s first hijacking, in 1969, was TWA Flight 840, en route from Rome to Tel Aviv. In 1970, during Black September itself, Khaled took part in the hijacking of El Al Flight 219 from Amsterdam.
Khaled participated in these terrorist activities as a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which she remains a member of today. The PFLP is Marxist-Leninist (yes, that ideology still exists), designated by the US, Canada, Australia and the EU as a terrorist organization. The PFLP does not recognize Israel nor does it support a two-state solution.
Put aside for a moment a woman being invited to speak to a parliament that designates her organization as a terrorist organization. How is it that Leila Khaled is out and about, free as a bird, able to deliver public speeches?
For her hijackings, she was arrested by British authorities, where Flight 219 landed. She was released, however, in exchange for British civilians kidnapped by the PFLP. Thus, she remains an ideological figurehead for the most anti-Israel activists, allowed to serve on the executive council of a Palestinian terror group, yet given legitimacy by some Western European governments so skewed in their anti-Israel ideology that they’re willing to succor a known terrorist.
There’s an important lesson here for Israel, which participates in prisoner exchanges of its own, such as the 1,027 Palestinian terrorists exchanged for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. The consequences have been deadly, with some of these released prisoners coming back to murder Israeli civilians.
TPS also reports: “Egypt floats plan for Israel-Hamas exchange.”
Reported in the al-Quds newspaper, this exchange would free 54 terrorists — all of whom were part of the aforementioned terrorists released in the Shalit deal only to reoffend and be rearrested by Israel. What does Israel get in the deal? Information on three Israeli citizens who crossed into Gaza and have not been heard from since, as well as the opportunity to begin negotiations on the release of the bodies of Lt. Hadar Goldin and Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul. Even asymmetry would be embarrassed to serve as the word for this political vivisection.
There is a reason for official US policy not to negotiate with terrorists. When dealing with these nefarious individuals, short terms gains are just that — short term. Long term, such prisoner exchanges lead only to the strengthening of the terrorist groups.
Look at Khaled: Nearly 40 years after her hijackings, she is still peddling her hateful ideology; only now, she is invited into parliaments to do so.
Copyright © 2017 by the Intermountain Jewish News
