Search Results for: Prisoner Exchange

Wednesday War News: Pa Aiming Rockets North to Kiryat Gat

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GSS Warning: PA’s Gaza-Based Rockets Aiming Further North

Excerpts;
“Kiryat Gat, 56 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, is likely to come into the range.”

“Underground network being created in Gaza, ‘as a result of which the IDF will encounter significant difficulties if it wants to take action in Gaza. As more time passes, it will be harder and harder to take action, not just because of the underground network, but also because of the smuggling [from Egypt]….'” read more

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The Futility of Substituting Money for Jewish National Responsibility

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Analysis: It’s About Ideology, Stupid, Herb Keinon (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts;

The newest buzzword in Middle East diplomacy is “strengthening the moderates.” This is an expression that continuously rolls off the tongues of both world and Israeli leaders these days. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert uses this phrase repeatedly and heard it often on his visit two weeks ago to Rome and Berlin, and in his meetings last week with the visiting prime ministers from Britain and Norway.

The question is how to do it. How do you prop up the moderates? On Saturday night, Olmert gave his answer: by providing the moderates with money. And he is not alone in the belief that this is the way to help combat Islamic extremists. read more

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When You Have a Boastful Loose Cannon for Prime Minister

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‘Olmert’s Comments May Prove Harmful’, By Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

For context, click here.

“Olmert’s comment was even more surprising considering that in recent weeks he held two four-hour long meetings with former minister Dan Meridor – author of Israel’s newly-formulated defense doctrine – during which he was briefed on the main principles, which include maintaining Israel’s long-standing policy of nuclear ambiguity.”

Full Text; read more

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Barghouti’s Early Release; A Matter of Time in Olmert’s Latest Mutant “Convergence” Scheme

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Analysis: Olmert Laying Groundwork for Barghouti’s Release, by Anshel Pfeffer (Jerusalem Post)

“Many Israelis will instinctively say that if the choice of partners is between Barghouti and the Hamas leadership, then we might as well go on fighting for another century. But anyone interested in jump-starting a new process with the Palestinians might feel that releasing Barghouti would accelerate it. Already there are those who are preparing the explanations and excuses to the public for his early release, not to mention the answers that will be needed to deal with petitions to the Supreme Court.” read more

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Abbas: Demanding Barghouti for Shalit…

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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. read more

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Israel’s September 10th Syndrome Exploded: A Must Read …

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The View from Haifa September 10th Syndrome By Steven Plaut

Excerpts;

“All you do all day is threaten that there will be Katyusha rockets landing in Ashkelon. Would you mind telling me why there are no rockets fired from Aqaba to Eilat?” Foreign Minister and Labor MK Shimon Peres, Knesset minutes, September 9, 1993

I could still hear Peres’s words echoing when Katyusha rockets began exploding in Haifa a few days ago, some of them just several blocks from my home. Filled with thousands of lead pellets to maximize the carnage, one of them ended the lives of nine people in a Haifa train depot. read more

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‘Moderate’, ‘Indirect Deal’ for Soldier: Oxymorons of the Highest Order as Sderot Blitz Proves It…

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PM Willing to Deal with ‘Moderate’ Palestinian Leaders

Excerpts;

While Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Sunday’s cabinet meeting ruled out a prisoner swap with Hamas, he noted that he has expressed willingness in the past to release Palestinian prisoners in a deal with moderate Palestinian leaders.

Olmert’s comments could indicate the possibility of an indirect deal to win the release of a captive IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Olmert told the cabinet that he had been considering a prisoner release long before Shalit was kidnapped on June 25, but said that such a deal could only take place with moderate Palestinians. read more

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Parshiyot V’zot HaBracha – Breish’t 5772: Completion and New Beginnings; The Torah Continuim

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by Moshe Burt

Somehow, not being rabbinic or a Talmud Chacham, it has always seemed difficult to put a true and deep meaning of Hashem’s creation to words to express the continuim of the end and the beginning of Torah.

Shem Mishmuel concludes a vort on V’zos HaBracha this way;

Let us propose that these brachot are eternal, that they were not just pronounced by Moshe to Klal Yisrael on his last day on earth, but like the rest of Torah, their influence is everlasting. Indeed, the beautiful blessings which Moshe bestowed upon us are still with us, as if he were standing and blessing every one of us today. Of course, as with their inception, the quality of the brachot will depend upon the ability of each of us to successfully receive them. read more

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“Truce” of Weakness Emboldens Terrorists, Schalit Further From Freedom

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Commentary;

The Olmert, Kadima, Barak, Livni, Yishai government of weakness, equivocation and partisan convenience has given up the store, the entirety of Israel’s diplomatic and military assets and set back Israel’s credibility to a historic low-point. Their lack of stregnth and principle has netted a minus in all areas, credibility, principle, hasbara and national branding. Gilad Schalit is further from liberation than ever.

Evelyn Gordon’s Must-Read analysis sums up this way; read more

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Speaking of Israel’s National “Brand”

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Commentary;

Yep, that’s me, making the point that needs to be made to the Foreign Ministry, and indeed every ministry and functionary of Israeli governance again and again and again until it sinks irrevocably into their consciousness; “But we ARE a Jewish state.”

A hat tip goes to Batya Medad for taking this shot.

And I ought to give a plug to Batya’s husband Yisrael Medad who has had a distinguished career serving B’nai Yisrael and Yishuv Eretz Yisrael.

This post expands on two areas of the Brand managment presentation made by a representative of the Foreign Ministry at Nefesh b’Nefesh’s Blogger’s Conference. read more

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