Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

Batya of Shilohmusings comments on the articles below;

Olmert Drops Slander Case against ‘Yediot’

Excerpts;

“Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has dropped his charges of slander against Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, it was reported Monday.”

“Olmert first pressed charges against Yediot a number of years ago after they published information supposedly linking Olmert to the Greek Island affair.”

Commentary;

It’s very interesting that PM Sharon and Olmert both allegedly have connections with one David Appel, as apparently did the Sharon sons. read more

MK Michael Ratzon Quits Likud to Lead Right-Wing Herut Party

Excerpts;

“MKs Ehud Yatom and Ayoub Kara, who also ended up in what are considered unrealistic spots on the Likud?s Knesset list, denied they intend to leave the party together with Ratzon.”

“Ratzon, Yatom and Kara were disappointed by the lack of trust in them expressed by the Likud Central Committee.”

Ratzon Decides to Make the Move to Herut

Full Text;

“Likud loyalist faction member MK Michael Ratzon has announced his decision to break away from the party and move to the Herut Party of former MK, Michael Kleiner.” read more

Netanyahu: Concessions Will be Necessary in Future Agreement

Excerpts;

“Netanyahu volunteered in his Herzliya speech that in the framework of either a permanent or interim agreement, he would be willing to withdraw from parts of Judea and Samaria. ‘It’s clear that in a peace agreement, we will have to make concessions,’ the former Prime Minister said, ‘but I will not give up on our security.'”

“The Likud Chairman also said that in any event, every proposed territorial concession will be brought to the nation in the form of a referendum.” read more

‘Country Must End Ghetto Mentality’

Excerpts;

“Former foreign minister Silvan Shalom’s much publicized handshake with his Pakistani counterpart last August represents just a smattering of the activity between Israel and the Islamic world taking place behind the scenes, Foreign Ministry Director-General Ron Prosor said Sunday.”

“Prosor also said Israel needed to jettison the ‘ghetto mentality of a nation that dwells alone’ and begin thinking and behaving ‘like a normal country and a responsible member in the international community.'” read more

IDF Kills Palestinian Youth Carrying Suspicious package

Excerpts;

“IDF soldiers deployed south-east of Shvut Rahel, near El Muair in the Binyamin District, shot and seriously wounded a Palestinian youth in his chest after he and a companion repeatedly ignored soldiers’ warnings to cease and desist.”

“The army summoned a helicopter to transport the youth to a hospital, but he died before arriving.”

Kassams Fired at W. Negev, No Casualties Reported

Kassam Rockets Land in Southern Israel read more

Hoenlein: Franklin Sentence ‘Disturbing’

Excerpts;

“American Jewish leader Malcolm Hoenlein on Sunday blasted the sentence handed down two days earlier to the Pentagon analyst who admitted passing on classified information to Israeli diplomats and pro-Israel lobbyists.”

“Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, labeled the ruling “disturbing,” a comment greeted by applause from the audience to whom he spoke about US-Israel relations at the Interdisciplinary Center’s Herzliya Conference.” read more

Former IDF Chief-of-Staff Criticizes Disengagement at Herzlyia Conference

Full Text:

“Former IDF Chief-of-staff, Lt.Gen. Moshe Ya’alon criticized the disengagement from Gaza before elite members of Israel’s security establishment at a conference in Herzlyia.”

“Ya’alon said that lack of credible deterrence is a factor in Israel’s inability to stop the firing of Kassam rockets from Gaza into the Negev.”

“He said that ‘unilateral withdrawals are interpreted as running away from the threat of rockets. Israel has been unable to create a credible deterrence for the future.’” read more

IDF Seizes Two Armed Arabs Who Attempted to Infiltrate from Gaza

24 Arrests Made During the Night

DM Mofaz: Israel to Retreat if PA Not “Peace Partner”

Excerpts;

“Regarding relations with the Palestinians, Mofaz said that if it becomes evident that there is no peace partner, Israel must ‘take fate into her own hands.’”

“Such a move, he added, would include a withdrawal to defensible borders while strengthening West Bank settlement blocs, demilitarization of Palestinian areas, and protecting a united Jerusalem. To do so, U.S. and international backing will be needed, he said, and added that he believes that such a move would be widely supported by the Israeli public.” read more

Brain Scan Shows No Change in Sharon