Brutal Calculus, Part One: What Price Freedom? (Wizbang)

Jay Tea looks at some Brutal Calculus, Part One: What Price Freedom? (Wizbang)

Last week, Hamas -- the terrorist group that governs the Gaza Strip -- released a video of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier they kidnapped three years ago. They did this in return for the release of 20 Palestinian prisoners.

They say that they will release Shalit if Israel will release 1,000 more prisoners -- many of whom are convicted in helping to kill Israelis.

This sets up a simple economic formula: One video of an Israeli is worth the freedom of 20 Palestinians. The life of one Israeli is worth 1,000 Palestinians.

So, by that logic, for every Israeli killed, Israel should kill 1,000 Palestinians.

That sound ugly and inhumane? I agree. But that's the exchange rate Hamas has set.

And while the precise rate has fluctuated, it has always been that Israelis are worth far, far more than Palestinians -- even dead Israelis. A few years ago, Hezbollah traded Israeli corpses for live Palestinians.

So when terrorist apologists accuse you of putting more value on the lives of Israelis over Palestinians, just shrug and point out that the Palestinians themselves have been saying just that for years.

I wonder what those who yell at Israel over its "disproportionate" response would say to that logic?