Gershon Baskin, who is internationally acclaimed for securing the release of Israeli solider Gilad Schalit from Hamas custody in 2011, has described Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as “a drunk driver in the seat of government”. Baskin says Netanyahu’s belief that military pressure can defeat Hamas and secure the release of hostages is wrong and is likely to lead to the opposite outcome i.e. the killing of the hostages. As he put it, “Military pressure has killed and is killing hostages”.
In a 30-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Baskin, who is also the Middle East Director of the International Communities Organization, spelt out the details of a deal he has worked out with Hamas for the release of all 101 hostages, dead or alive, the end of the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the agreed release of Palestinian prisoners by name and number. Baskin says he has received a written message from an unnamed Hamas leader (on 3/9) which says: “We support your proposal” adding “all leaders” do. Baskin says that rather than take his word for it, Israel should get Qatar and Egypt to clarify and verify with Hamas whether they have accepted this deal or not.
Speaking about the so-called Biden peace deal, a new and updated version of which could be announced in the very near future, Baskin called it “a bad plan [which] doesn’t end the war [and] doesn’t return all hostages.”
He also explains why, unlike what he’s done in the past, he’s gone public with the details of his plan.
