Meir Indor, head of the Almagor terror victims association, has charged that the government made a mistake by “revealing its hand” in the negotiations on securing the return of the bodies of kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. He also said that the media’s display of the “tearful appeals of the families” of the kidnap victim shows the enemy that Israel is weak.

Publicity of the families’ ordeal causes terrorist leaders “to raise the price,” according to Indor, a former senior IDF officer. He cited the 1985 deal with PLFP leader Ahmed Jibril. Indor stated that after Jibril heard the protests and cries of the mothers of kidnapped soldiers, he raised from 200 to 2,000 his demand for the release of terrorists.

“If we are willing to release [Samir] Kuntar and four other [terrorists] for bodies of two dead soldiers, we give our enemies the message that even if they kill kidnapped Israelis, they can still command a high price for them,” Indor asserted.

“When there is pressure, we have to respond with counter pressure. Remember that our enemies monitor our newspapers and media very carefully, and they view the tearful appeals of families for their missing sons as weakness.

“Although it is painful to say this, we must realize that in negotiation, you don’t reveal your hand. The more that families campaign for their abducted sons, the more pressure they put on the government – the more they play into the hands of the Hizbullah and Hamas. That is sad but true.”

Indor illustrated his point with an old story about a Cohen family that was trying to buy a car. “As David Cohen and the dealer dicker over the price, Ellen Cohen cries to her husband, ‘But dear, I really want this car!’ As soon as she says that, the price shoots up and their cover is blown. Negotiations – even concerning human beings, unfortunately – is never the place to reveal your emotions to the other side, especially when the other side is your enemy.”

Indor called on the government to “keep a stiff upper lip” in negotiations. His comments came the same day that three Cabinet ministers said that the government should pay whatever price is necessary, and do so as soon as possible, in order to return abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit alive.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed two years ago, immediately after Hamas and other terrorists kidnapped Shalit, that he would not conduct any negotiations to release terrorists for his return. Ofir Dekel, who negotiated the deal with Hizbullah, is in Cairo this week to continue negotiations with Hamas, via Egyptian mediators, for Shalit’s return.