Meritorious Manumission

Israeli “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for, announced a $5 million reward for anyone who can assist in the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups. The offer also included safe passage out of Gaza.”

Netanyahu announced, “Whoever brings us a hostage will find an open door for himself and his family to leave, and we will also give a $5 million reward for each hostage,” the premier said. He had previously suggested Israel would pay “several million” for hostage their recovery.”

It is clear to all observers that Israel has vastly superior military and intelligence capabilities in the conflict with Hamas. However, to date, the IDF has not been able to secure freedom for the remaining hostages militarily. I believe that anyone who is “On the Side of Humanity” wants to see the hostages kidnapped by Hamas from Israel on October 7, 2023, freed immediately. The unimaginable suffering of the innocent hostages and the innocent citizens of Gaza needs to end now. For that matter, all “innocent” hostages from both sides of this conflict must be freed.

However, globally, most diplomats and regular people believe that a negotiated cease-fire would be the quickest way to get the hostages back to their Moreover, the policy of payment for freedom to Gazans is perilous for any person or group to engage in or accept. It would certainly put their lives and their family’s lives in serious jeopardy. The policy of using “rewards for hostages” is an indirect form of using local Gazans as human shields.

This kind of policy is nothing new. During 1700 hundred in the United States of America, the enslavers used enslaved Africans in a very similar manner. This strategy was known as the “The Meritorious Manumission Act of 1710.”

Meritorious Manumission was a legal act of freeing enslaved Africans for “good deeds.” The enslavers would grant freedom to any enslaved African who (1) saved the life of a white enslaver, (2) protected the enslaver’s property, (3) invented something from which a white enslaver could make a profit, and, (4) encouraged enslaved Africans to gain their personal freedom, prestigious positions, and material benefits for “snitching” on their enslaved brothers and sisters who were planning to run away or who were planning and executing revolts and rebellions.

Again, these kinds of strategies will put the lives of the recipients of so-called “rewards” and their families at tremendous risk. Recipients of “rewards” or informants will also lose the trust of their peers, making it difficult to maintain relationships or gain future support from their community. In the 21st century, diplomacy must be the solution to bringing Middle East conflicts to an immediate end. Ending conflicts/wars is the ultimate desire of the world community.

In closing, Meritorious Manumission is still alive in the 21st century. Case in point, during the November 5, U.S. presidential election, African Americans witnessed individuals from our communities who were given prominent positions and material benefits to perform acts against the best interest of the African/American community.