They're not VIP's

The situation surrounding Gilad Shalit's five-year captivity by Hamas in Gaza is beyond disgusting. International do-gooders have rushed to help the Gaza regime on any number of grave issues. But these same groups that call themselves humanitarian are unresponsive to calls to help release the boy. They won't help on even the most basic level -- like demanding that he receive a visit from the Red Cross.

The international community has been unfair and apathetic towards Israel's concerns. This includes the Red Cross, who weakly asked Hamas for the first time on Thursday if they could visit Shalit and were brutally rebuffed. But first of all Israel must do its own soul-searching.

Mistakes have been made that can't be fixed. Like our willingness to discuss releasing 1000 prisoners in exchange for one; like the operational failure to discover Shalit's hiding place; and like our failure to exert effective counterpressure against Hamas' leadership. One of the methods discussed many times but never tried was to curtail the creature comforts enjoyed by Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails.

Not, God forbid, to reduce their living standard beneath what is required by international treaties and conventions signed by Israel. But merely to take away their VIP treatment.

Shalit has been silenced, but Hamas prisoners enjoy high-speed Internet connection to the entire world. Shalit rots in prison, while the average Palestinian prisoner uses smuggled money to purchase 1,300 shekels worth of products in the prison store, per month. Shalit has been isolated, while Hamas members enter prison illiterate and emerge with academic degrees that can open doors around the world.

Proposals abound to strike out at NGOs that make Israel's life difficult -- but Israel must resist this temptation. Block money to human rights groups working on behalf of Palestinians? This is not desirable. Tax money transfers to them? Unworthy of us. Israel is a democracy that will pay a high diplomatic price if it turns in this dangerous direction. Far better to exercise restraint. But take away Hamas prisoners' privilege to party it up in Israeli academia, as Benjamin Netanyahu promised yesterday? Definitely. Too bad he just got the idea yesterday. Here's a warning: Don't be tempted to end this policy even on the glorious day that Shalit is freed. Terrorists don't deserve to party in jail.

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