I would love to get Ehud Olmert into a poker game. He'd be lucky to leave with as much as a handkerchief to bind up his dessicated, shriveled peanuts.
To start with, he's already pushing the Israeli government to release tax monies to Abbas and Fatah, without considering the fact that a portion of that money is like ly to go to Hamas or go to pay the al-Aksa brigade and the Tanzim, Fatah's own terrorist arm.
Given Abbas' strength on the ground, it's the equivalent of putting money inside a leaky rowboat that's already half sunk and filling rapidly.
But wait...there's more! Apparently Olmert committed to releasing 250 Fatah terrorists now held in Israel's custody. And one of them is reportedly none other than Marwan Barghouti, who was tried in an Israeli civilian court and convicted of the murder of five Israelis in terrorist attacks.
If Barghouti gets out, maybe Olmert can buy some more `goodwill' by releasing some of his pals and associates, like this one.
That `goodwill' of course does not extend to Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit. Hamas released a taunting audio tape today from him, in which the Israeli prisoner said his health is deteriorating and that he's disappointed in the Israeli government's lack of interest in his fate.
"Mother and father, my sister and brother, my friends in the Israel Defense Forces. I greet you from prison and miss you all," he said.
"I have spent a full year in prison, and my health is still deteriorating, and I need a prolonged hospitalization. I regret the lack of interest on the part of the Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces in my case and their refusal to meet the demands of the al-Qassam brigades."
Olmert replied to that by devoting considerable time to the `humanitarian issues' in Gaza, and pledged that Israel would make sure that Hamas remained well nourished and had plenty of water and electricity. Hey, it takes a village to launch Qassams at Israel's civilians..
In addition, Olmert asked the Egyptians to pretty please close the Philadelphi Route on the Egypt-Gaza border and stop the flow of weaponry and Iranian trained terrorist fighters.
A good indication of how `seriously' Egypt is taking this was the aboutface by Mubarakon isolating Hamas. On Saturday, June 23rd Mubarak was raging at Hamas for staging ` an illegal coup'. The very next day, June 24, a convoy headed by Hamas’ interior minister Siad Sayam – was allowed to openly leave Gaza with 15 senior Hamas commanders. while Egyptian security units provided an escort from Rafah to Cairo's airport, where the Hamas delegation left for Damascus.
In other words, the Egyptians will devote as much time and energy to controlling the border as they have in the past...which is to say, absolutely nothing.
And speaking of which, that's what Olmert walked away from Sharm el-Sheik with in the way of concessions or quid-pro-quo from Egypt or Fatah - absolutely nothing.
Amazing that the Israelis haven't sent Olmert singlehanded to Gaza to negotiate with Hamas in person - or something. I'm sure that gesture would be much more productive and beneficial than the ones Olmert has planned for Israel.
2 comments:
This is utter insanity; a spineless and cowardly offer that will only result in more violence towards Israelis. The only reason I can see for this surrender of common sense is the Bush Administration pushing Olmert to prop up Abbas by offering these ridiculous concessions in return for a piece of paper. Hopefully the government will not allow the prisoner release. I can't believe they are seriously considering releasing Barghouti.
the U.S. constitution stipulates how much longer we have to tolerate the saudi lap dog.
did anyone watch/see olmert's body language when he met with shrub in washington, or this morning, when he addressed the joooish agency board of governors. this is not a man concerned about the longevity of his time in power.
olmert will be PM for a long, long, long, long, long, long time.
ff has made his predictions last summer that olmert would soon be gone.
here it is the following summer and now i will make my prediction.
olmert will be the longest serving israeli PM in the history of the country.
this is not about the security of a nation/state. this is about being in power. and none of the MK want to/will give up what they have.
now that i've make a couple of veins pop out in ff's neck. i bet ff will soon return the favor by posting an essay using the photo of bush holding hands with his saudi master. which ff knows has the same affect on me.
let's see how well i know our webmaster.
as for this seinfeld meeting at the resort, it is being reported that no one wants to do anything at the summit to make hamass mad.
and this on the first anniversary of galik shalit's captivity.
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