Abbas: We’ll Demand Barghouti for Shalit
Excerpt;
“Palestinian president says PA will demand release of Fatah leader Barghouti, PLF Secretary-General Saadat as part of any agreement that would include Shalit’s release; representatives for groups involved in kidnapping deny reports of imminent prisoner exchange deal.”
For context on Marwan Barghouti, click here.
Commentary;
Abu (Abu Abbas in a business suit) Mazen, aka Mahmoud Abbas, Ehud Olmert’s retreaded hope for restarting the Road Map and for doing “convergence” (expulsion of 10s of thousands of Jews under a different label), has demanded the release of Barghouti and Saadat, imprisoned for their involvement in the Rachavim Ze’evi assassination (as well as countless other terror attacks) as part of any agreement that would include Shalit’s release. The other component is the release of many hundred terrorist murderers. What the heck does Israel need Abbas for? That deal could have been done the day after. But it is far too vast a price to pay in terms of Israel’s anti-terrorist credibility, appeasement and collective self-respect and self immage.
It will be very interesting to watch for Olmert’s response; Whether there exists in him any backbone on this issue, or any issue aside from bullying Jews. MB