What would I do if my son were kidnapped, and the kidnapper demanded a million dollars or I would never see my son again? I would probably beg, borrow, or steal the money to get my son back, without any logical reasoning such as:
- The kidnapper could just kidnap my son again and demand another million.
- The kidnapper, aware that kidnapping is profitable, could kidnap other kids.
- Villains around the world would learn that kidnapping is profitable.
However, any such logical reasoning goes out the window when it’s my own son. Furthermore, if I didn’t pay, people would ostracize me for being so callous that I would allow my son to die.
Similarly, the Hamas hostage-taking leads to Israelis and people around the world saying, “Free the hostages. Give in to Hamas’s demands:”
- Withdraw all troops from Gaza. Let Hamas rebuild their tunnels, re-arm, and prepare to invade Israel again, to take more hostages.
- Hamas, learning that hostage-taking is profitable, would be emboldened to take as many more hostages as possible.
- Regimes around the world would see how profitable it is to take hostages.
Indeed, Putin has already learned this, as he ‘arrests’ Americans and uses them as bargaining chips. America’s response is always the same: at first, strict posturing that “We don’t give in to kidnappers.” Then later, behind the scenes, quietly pay the ransom, but claim that nothing was paid. Russia’s ‘arrest’ of Brittney Griner, the basketball player, is a good example; no one questions the price that America had to pay to get her back. Biden can claim a great victory at arranging her release, whatever the cost.
Also, indeed, Hamas has already gotten a lot of mileage out of kidnapping the Israelis — a lot more mileage than if they had simply killed them to begin with. I’m actually surprised that there isn’t a lot more hostage-taking in conflicts around the world: Ukraine, Venezuela, etc. Hostage-taking is really useful, whether monetarily or as a bargaining chip.
Which leads to my question: why doesn’t Israel start kidnapping Gazans or other Palestinians? They could even match the age, sex, etc. with hostages currently held by Hamas. What’s more, they could say that if Hamas harmed any Israeli hostages, Israel would harm the Gazan hostages in a similar manner. After all, as we have learned, a live hostage is far more valuable than a dead one. Why am I not hearing anyone advocate this procedure?
I think that the answer is that, using its usual double standards, the world would vilify Israel. “How barbaric! How dare they? Taking hostages is against international law!” This outrage would play into Hamas’s primary strategy of provoking enough outrage that Iran and its allies would attack Israel and provoke an all-out regional or global war.
The recent murder of six hostages by Hamas reveals the world’s thinking. The protesters in Israel are not directing blame or outrage directed at Hamas for their cold-blooded murder. Rather, half a million Israelis are demonstrating against Netanyahu and even Biden for allowing this to happen. The protesters are chanting to make a deal with Hamas to release the remaining hostages. ANY deal. Here is a facebook quote from someone named Lapid: “They were alive but [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his Cabinet of death decided not to save them,” Lapid wrote on his Facebook page. Huh? Wait a minute! They were alive, but Netanyahu decided to try to save them, so Hamas murdered them. Otherwise, they would be alive today.
Hostage-taking always leads to emotional, irrational thinking. It could hardly be otherwise. But one thing is clear: it is immensely profitable. It works!