Ehud Olmert is finally showing some sense. Herb Keinon says that the continuous rocket fire (eleven more on Friday, for instance) from Gaza is what stopped the release of palestinian prisoners.
The continued firing of Kassam rockets on the western Negev was the major reason Israel decided against releasing a symbolic number of Palestinian prisoners before the Muslim festival of Id al-Adha that began on Saturday, senior sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said after nightfall.
The sources said other considerations militating against the release were concern that freeing a couple of dozen prisoners, none of them the “heavyweight” security prisoners, would not have done anything to bolster PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on the Palestinian street, and the realization that contrary to what is generally believed, Israel has not “automatically” released prisoners before the holiday in the past.
Abbas, according to Israeli sources, brought up the idea of a symbolic release in last Saturday night’s meeting with Olmert, saying that it was traditional for Israel to free prisoners before the holiday.
Olmert, according to the officials, was noncommittal, saying he would bring up the possibility with the cabinet and consider the issue.
Of course, the spin from Abbas is that Olmert broke his promise. What promise? The one in Abbas’ head.
In fact, Abbas lied twice: There has never been a “tradition” of releasing prisoners on this Muslim holiday.
The officials also said that after looking into the matter it had became clear the last time such a release occurred before Id al-Adha was in 1991.
Abbas, who traveled to the Gaza Strip on Saturday for the first time since the outbreak of deadly Hamas-Fatah factional violence earlier this month, accused Olmert of breaking a promise to release prisoners ahead of the holiday. “Unfortunately, this didn’t happen, and we hope that he will fulfill his promise after the holiday,” Abbas told reporters.
Israeli officials said Olmert never made any commitment, telling Abbas only that he would look into the matter.
Shocked, shocked I am, to find that Abbas lied.
Speaking of lies, Hamas is claiming a “breakthrough” in talks about Gilad Shalit. Don’t buy it. They’ve played this game before.