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Bush forces Hamas down Israel’s throat in Jerusalem. Olmert government is stunned
DEBKAfile Exclusive ^ | January 9, 2006, 11:53 PM (GMT+02:00)

Posted on 01/09/2006 7:46:28 PM PST by strategofr

Sunday night Jan 8, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice discussed the forthcoming Palestinian elections to the legislative council on the telephone with Palestinian Authority chairman Abu Mazen.

Jerusalem was not briefed, DEBKAfile’s political sources report.

Twelve hours later, the US consul in Jerusalem Jacob Walles visited Abu Mazen’s office in Ramallah with an oral message from President George W. Bush. According to our sources, it was a presidential guarantee that all the Palestinian parties running for election on Jan 25 would be allowed to campaign openly in East Jerusalem, eligible voters in the city would be permitted to cast their votes through local post offices, and the voter slips of all Palestinian parties without exception would be available in the balloting booths.

The Israeli government was not informed of the extraordinary step taken by Bush over its head and in respect of Israeli sovereign territory.

The step has some disturbing implications:

1. The Bush administration took advantage of Ehud Olmert’s having been less than a week in the job of acting prime minister and treated his reluctance to undertake firm decisions - as long as prime minister Ariel Sharon’s condition was uncertain -as a leadership vacuum in Jerusalem. Without a word, administration officials marked down the goings-on around Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem and Olmert’s slowness to rise to the challenge.

3. Olmert’s failure to come down decisively on the Jerusalem issue has a serious consequence: Washington’s intercession enables the terrorist Hamas group to fly its green flags and hold rallies on Temple Mount with its standard calls for jihad against Israel, as well as piling its voter slips at Israeli government post offices as an option for the Palestinian voter. By this device, the backhanded recognition of a Palestinian terrorist organization sworn to destroy the Jewish state has been thrust down the interim government’s throat.

4. The Bush administration showed no consideration for Olmert’s efforts to find his feet as head of government, bid for the leadership of Kadima party and fight a tough election.

Governing circles in Jerusalem were stunned by the White House action. They asked if Bush wanted Binyamin Netanyahu and Likud to win the March election having awarded him the edge on the Jerusalem issue. Part of the shock derived from the Israeli ministers’ mistaken conviction that Abu Mazen would postpone the election to prevent the Hamas beating his ruling Fatah. DEBKAfile’s sources repeatedly reported that the White House would insist on the Palestinian vote taking place on schedule – even at the price of a Hamas win and regardless of Sharon’s indisposition and a transitional administration very much at sea in Jerusalem.

There are still hopes in Israeli government circles that the two US officials David

Welch and Elliot Abrams due this week will help moderate some of the particulars of the Bush pledge to the Palestinian leader. But the chances of this are slim.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: elliotabrams; hamas; israel; palestinians
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To: Sabramerican; Txsleuth
According to CNN, AP Jewish Week, and President Carter they voted by absentee ballot, completed and mailed from post offices in East Jerusalem.

Putting those two reports together, to the Palestinians and the State Department, there will defacto polling places in Jerusalem. If a Palestinian mailed a ballot from New York, that’s probably their territory too.

I'm fairly certain they could have presented themselves at polling places in the West Bank as well.

41 posted on 01/09/2006 8:41:46 PM PST by SJackson (Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy. B. Franklin)
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To: William Creel

Interesting comment from someone who posts this on his homepage:
Every individual life is special, we don't know what someone is going to grow up to be if we end their life before it began. Imagine if someone aborted Albert Einstein, we would have lost all of the stuff he theorized. Just because the mother made a bad decision, and had a baby when she wasn't ready, shouldn't mean that the child should suffer. It was her choice, she should live with it. I'm ok if they put the child up for adoption, but they should be forced to live with what they did.


42 posted on 01/09/2006 8:43:46 PM PST by littleleaguemom
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To: NYTexan
"I believe Israel should refuse American foreign aid." ...They would already be wiped off the map without it!!!

Had you said the Czechs, as Soviet clients, or France, there'd be some truth to your statement. Nixon's support in the 73 war was vital.

43 posted on 01/09/2006 8:43:50 PM PST by SJackson (Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy. B. Franklin)
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To: NYTexan
"They would already be wiped off the map without it!!!"

After the ruse about our USA withdrawing military tech. support to Israel, Israelis successfully test fired their Arrow-2 system. You see, Arrow-2 was mostly Israel's R&D baby all along--not ours.

Granted, though, if our leaders continue to fund (illegally) and otherwise support the Jihad against Israel, Israelis might have to clean up a lot of virtually benign junk after nuking the cities of much of the rest of the Middle East before occupying much of it.

That's alright, though. We'll need more room over there for the millions of new converts to Judaism.
44 posted on 01/09/2006 8:45:05 PM PST by familyop ("The Romans and their Empire were but a bauble in comparison to the Jews." --President John Adams)
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Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: Baraonda

The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and he who curses you, I will curse; and through you will be blessed all the families of the earth."

Genesis 12:3

Lets hope that Debka is wrong.


46 posted on 01/09/2006 8:54:35 PM PST by Halgr (Once a Marine, always a Marine - Semper Fi)
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To: Sabramerican

"Although no final Israeli government decision has been made, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told the cabinet Sunday that Israel's message "is that east Jerusalem residents would be able to vote, but not in east Jerusalem, rather in areas close to their homes," an apparent reference to areas like Abu Dis and Eizariya."

'snip'

"Only a few hundred Arab residents of Jerusalem have registered as voters for the upcoming elections, PA officials revealed on Monday. "

'snip'

"The "Jerusalem district,", which includes Abu Dis, A-Ram, Bir Nabala, Hizma and Kalandiya, has a total population of 323,837. About 70 percent live inside the city's municipal boundaries and hold Israeli ID cards."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If they are Israeli citizens why are they voting in the Palistinian elections. They should 'elect' which citizenship they want.



47 posted on 01/09/2006 9:01:18 PM PST by dervish (prayers for PM Sharon)
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To: Sabramerican

I have no doubt that there's a good reason why Bush made this decision. He is not doing this because of contempt for Israel. Bush has been a great friend of Israel throughout his entire time as POTUS.


48 posted on 01/09/2006 9:05:54 PM PST by defenderSD (¤¤ In a battle of wits against a FReeper, the typical liberal is unarmed. ¤¤)
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To: NYTexan; Alouette

What Alouette said.

And if that were so they would take many others down with them.


49 posted on 01/09/2006 9:08:26 PM PST by dervish (prayers for PM Sharon)
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To: William Creel
>>>How many times did they report that Osama was dead?<<

And now it appears they are right. Osama is thought to have reached Iranian room temperature in December.

And on an historical basis, Debka has been reasonably accurate when it concerns internal Israeli affairs.

50 posted on 01/09/2006 9:19:11 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: HardStarboard

Ah, yes, we haven't had one of thsese Bush-bashing anti-American Middle East threads in quite a while.


51 posted on 01/09/2006 9:30:27 PM PST by Bushbacker (f----u)
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To: Alouette; NYTexan
>>>Israel did not receive American foreign aid until the 1970's. <<<

I am against interrupting aid to Israel - particularly at this critical time.

The point is well made that they did pretty well without "overt" US aid money prior to 1973. However, there was always a large amount of money flowing to Israel from the Jewish community in the US prior to that time.

Bottom line, the US cannot afford to lose Israel as a base of democracy....or a base of intelligence in the Middle East....we must support her, particularly during the current leadership crisis and in view of the Iranian threat.

52 posted on 01/09/2006 9:31:25 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: RedRover
Is there a possibility that reverse logic is being used in this and other situations regarding Israel?
53 posted on 01/09/2006 9:31:55 PM PST by NY Attitude (You are responsible for your safety until the arrival of Law Enforcement Officers!)
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To: Bushbacker
>>>Ah, yes, we haven't had one of thsese Bush-bashing anti-American Middle East threads in quite a while.<<<

And your point is......?

Israel's existance is essential to any sane political or military plan for the Middle East....I think Bush realizes this fact, but sometimes administration micro-strategy is obtuse.

54 posted on 01/09/2006 9:36:01 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: Sabramerican
If you don't think Arabs in East Jerusalem should be able to vote in Palestinian elections, then I must assume you favor their being able to vote in Israeli elections. Otherwise, we have a case of disenfranchisement.
55 posted on 01/09/2006 10:00:22 PM PST by Torie
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To: William Creel

Universal qualifiers tend to get one in trouble. It's not "all" of the Palestinians, but 97% of them give the other 3% a bad name.


56 posted on 01/09/2006 10:03:47 PM PST by 308MBR (After over 20 years of GOP only, I'm voting a split ticket in 'O6 and hoping for gridlock.)
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To: Sabramerican
If Rice is so stupid as to facilitate no election in the West Bank and Gaza, then I must agree with you about her. There must be an election, and as I said, it might not be all bad if Hamas one it. Then the responsibility and onus of government and running it, would be on them, and what they allow, or espouse, cutting off at the knees any fig leaf of plausible deniability.
57 posted on 01/09/2006 10:03:57 PM PST by Torie
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To: Nam Vet
"I THOUGHT I heard a report on FOX today that elections would be held in Jerusalem on time but that no party named as a terrorist group would be allowed to campaign. Is this right?"

Terrorist group leaders are campaigning and are likely to be elected. Our leaders are condoning it.

A Pro-Hamas Foreign Policy?-Why is Washington urging terrorists to run for elective office?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1419432/posts

Secretary Rice on CNN: US will respect elections if Hamas wins http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1428582/posts

White House: OK if Hamas controls PLC- "business professionals...not terrorists"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1383545/posts

White House: Hamas members elected in PA not terrorists
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1363953/posts

Hamas Plans To Join New PA Government After Elections
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1554804/posts

Hamas TV begins trial broadcasts from Gaza
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1554806/posts

Barghouthi to militants: protect Palestinian vote [No criminal activity till after election]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1554765/posts

Hamas Candidate Says “United Jerusalem” to be Arab Capital
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1553852/posts

Bombing the ballot--Hamas is sticking to its guns
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1554120/posts

Fatah is no better than Hamas
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1552740/posts

Mother Sent Sons on Suicide Missions, Becomes Hamas Candidate
http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=95248

Hamas has new missile to fire into Israel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1550384/posts

'Palestinians agree': Wipe Israel off map
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1550333/posts

Israel preparing for Hamas-led PA
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1549876/posts
58 posted on 01/09/2006 11:21:49 PM PST by familyop ("The Romans and their Empire were but a bauble in comparison to the Jews." --President John Adams)
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To: Alouette

Things are getting stranger by the minute..


59 posted on 01/09/2006 11:25:00 PM PST by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: William Creel
You know that DEBKA isn't too reliable.

They seem very reliable here. Do you want to bet against this article?

60 posted on 01/10/2006 3:29:42 AM PST by dennisw ("What one man can do another can do" - The Edge)
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