Bulletin
Oct. 4, 2009 Palestinian Media Watch

Hamas repeats threat to capture more "Shalits"
Khaled Mashaal repeats message of Hamas video animations
mocking Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit
and threatening more kidnappings

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Palestinian Media Watch:
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org

Following the release of the Gilad Shalit video in exchange for 20
Palestinian female terrorists who were involved in attempted murder, Hamas
leader Khaled Mashaal has repeated the organization's threats to kidnap more
soldiers. Hamas sees the release as vindication of its
kidnapping-for-hostage policy.

Mashaal said:

"The resistance, which has succeeded in capturing Gilad Shalit, keeping him
alive and well for more than three years, giving him proper treatment, and
excelling in conducting indirect negotiations, is capable of capturing
[another] Shalit and [another] Shalit and [another] Shalit, until not a
single prisoner will remain in the enemy's jails."

["Palestine Information Center" - Hamas website, Oct. 2, 2009]

The following documentation was publicized by PMW in its bulletin of Sept.
30th, 2009:

Two video animations showing hostage Gilad Shalit as Hamas's prime leverage
for prisoners' release have appeared on Hamas TV. Both applaud the
Palestinian kidnapping-for-hostage policy, and advocate more kidnappings of
Israeli soldiers.

One animation shows a Hamas child using a stone (symbolizing Gilad Shalit)
to scrape away at a chain (symbolizing Israeli prisons) painted on a wall. A
song promises that many "Gilads" will be the means to release Palestinian
prisoners. The boy tells the chain that the Palestinians are patient and can
wait for the chain to break. The boy then drops the stone, and on it appears
a picture of Gilad Shalit. The boy tells Shalit that Hamas will be back to
"finish the job." The video ends with Shalit crying, and calling "Mommy!"
Click here to view
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=663&fld_id=663&doc_id=1141

The second animation shows Gilad Shalit being held prisoner and talking to a
Hamas child. The Shalit character says Israel does not care about him, and
suggests that the only way for him to be released would be for Hamas to
kidnap more soldiers. The child understands that further kidnappings would
cause drafted Israelis to refuse to serve in the army out of fear of being
kidnapped, and thus scare Israeli leaders -who otherwise don't care about
Shalit - into accepting Hamas's terms.
Click here to view
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=663

The following is the transcript of the first Hamas TV animation mocking
Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit and promising more kidnappings of soldiers:

(Song) "In the prisons, our heroes cried with joy: Our day of release has
come; this land is our country! You [Israelis] will all be 'Gilads'. We'll
capture you."
Hamas child uses a stone to scrape away at a chain painted on a wall.
Child [to chain]: "You don't want to break- that's OK. Take your time; we're
not in a hurry, we're very patient."
Child drops stone, and image of Gilad Shalit appears on stone.
Child [to stone - Shalit]: "You stay where you are; don't move. Tomorrow
we'll be back and we'll finish the job."
(Song) "It is inevitable that the chains will be broken."
[The video ends with the stone - Gilad Shalit - crying: "Mommy!" (in
Hebrew)]

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), April 21, 2009]

The following is the transcript of the Hamas TV animation mocking Israeli
hostage Gilad Shalit and promoting the kidnapping-for-hostage policy:

Gilad Shalit: "Mommy!"
Hamas child: "Who is it? Gilad [Shalit]? [Child laughs] Poor you! You've
been rotting here for 3 years, and no one cares."
Gilad Shalit: "Please release me!"
Hamas child: "Are you asking me to be a collaborator and a traitor, that
I'll betray my people and my homeland? Are you crazy!"
Gilad Shalit: "I have an idea: You [Hamas] go and capture more soldiers,
they [Israelis] will be afraid and accept your terms to free me."
Hamas child: "Ah, they will free you not because they love you, but to
prevent anxiety among your soldiers, so they won't be afraid, and stop their
military service."
Gilad Shalit: "True."
Hamas child: "Gilad, stay here, and pray that [Hamas] succeeds in capturing
another [soldier], so you'll be freed. Bye."
Gilad Shalit: "Mommy! Mommy! (in Hebrew) Free me!"

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), July 6, 2009]

Both Fatah and Hamas have stated that the kidnapping-for-hostage policy is
the Palestinians' most effective tool to force the release of terrorist
prisoners. Following are two examples of PA and Hamas ministers advocating
kidnapping of Israeli soldiers:

Ashraf Al-Ajrami, PA Minister of Prisoners:

"The language of peace and negotiations is not enough to urge Israel to
cooperate positively regarding prisoners. The way Israel likes, it seems, is
to exchange [prisoners] with kidnapped Israeli soldiers."

[PA TV (Fatah), June 5, 2008]

Click here to view
www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=638&fld_id=638&doc_id=1298

Said Siam, PA Minister of Interior (Hamas):

"In the past, Hamas succeeded in kidnapping many Zionist soldiers. From
among our forces there are thousands of prisoners. They (the forces) have to
think how to free these prisoners, and I believe that there is no
alternative but to kidnap soldiers to exchange for them.
Hamas has kidnapped 10 soldiers.
There is nothing the Resistance cannot do. When there is a goal and a good
plan, the goal can be achieved, especially about prisoners, which is top
priority.
During the PA administration, Hamas has succeeded in kidnapping and hiding
bodies, but unfortunately, two bodies were handed over for nothing. When
there is a kidnapping, and it is secured, each case at its own time has its
own negotiations."

[Abu Dabi TV, June 26, 2006]

Click here to view
www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=638&fld_id=638&doc_id=1302

It should be noted that months before the Shalit kidnapping, PMW released
the Siam speech, and warned that kidnapping-for-hostages was Palestinian
policy.

To read PMW op-ed on Hamas's kidnapping-for-hostage policy, click here.
www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=155&doc_id=524
To see more statements on PMW's website confirming the Palestinian
kidnapping-for-hostage policy, click here.
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=662
To see a previous PMW bulletin (featured on the old PMW website), released
prior to the Gilad Shalit kidnapping, "Hamas Plans to Kidnap Israeli
Soldiers for Prisoner Trade," click here.
www.pmw.org.il/latest%20bulletins%20new.htm#b150206