Right slams Ankara talks as media spin (Announcement of direct negotiations between Israel, Syria)

YNet ^ | 5/21/2008 | Amnon Meranda

[mojito]

The political arena was shaken Wednesday, following an announcement by the Prime Minister's Office that Israel and Syria were holding direct peace talks mediated by Turkey.

The political Right immediately connected the dramatic announcement to the legal hot waters Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in, saying that the further the investigation into his alleged bribery offenses becomes, the more dramatic his political move will be.

Leaders of the Likud, National Union-National Religious Party and Yisrael Beiteinu factions have demanded that the Knesset hold a special session following the announcement.

"Olmert has just proven that he is willing to sell off anything, including the safety of the State of Israel in order to take the public's mind off the criminal actions he is suspected of," Knesset Member Gilad Erdan (Likud) told Ynet.

"Shas, (Foreign Minister) Tzipi Livni and (Defense Minister) Ehud Barak will soon find themselves partners in surrendering the Golan Heights, unless they leave the coalition immediately," he added.

MK Gideon Sa'ar, chairman of the Likud faction, reiterated, saying the announcement demonstrated that "Olmert's calculated cynicism when gambling Israel's strategic assets for his own political survival knows no bounds… He has no mandate to make any concession in the Golan Heights."

MK Nissan Slomiansky (NU-NRP) said, "The launching of negotiations with Syria prove that the prime minister's investigations have reached a very advanced stage."

NRP chairman, MK Zevulun Orlev, also linked between the timing of the negotiations and the investigations against the prime minister: "Olmert is trying to save his skin at the Golan's expense due to heavy bribery suspicions, while critically hurting the State's security.

"The Syrians and Americans must know that the Israeli prime minister has no moral authority to stay in office and has no legitimization to negotiate the Golan. Any agreement with him has no chance of being approved by the Knesset."

MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) said that negotiations with those calling and working for Israel's destruction were a farce. "Negotiations with Syria will bolster the extremists and weaken the moderates, and will legitimize the terror organizations."

[mojito]

Olmert is betraying his country to save his own skin.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t believe Syria will ever honor an agreement with Israel. Israel’s leaders will foolish to comprimise with it.

[FFranco]

Appeasement is Never Right.

[Convert from ECUSA]

""Olmert has just proven that he is willing to sell off anything, including the safety of the State of Israel in order to take the public's mind off the criminal actions he is suspected of," Knesset Member Gilad Erdan (Likud) told Ynet."

[forkinsocket]

1) I don’t believe any of the allegations against Olmert. I’m sure he took money, but every politician in Israel does that. He’s being singled out on purpose, & not for any reason that would benefit Israel.

2) Sure, Olmert is willing to sell off anything, but he is no different from the vast majority of Israeli politicians & a good chunk of the public. Olmert is a product of the rot in Israel, not the cause of it.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

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[mojito]

“The National Fraud Unit now believes Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made “personal use” of the funds he received from New York financier Morris Talansky, a senior law enforcement official confirmed, as a media-ban on the criminal investigation was lifted Wednesday evening.

“Talansky transferred money to Olmert for personal use, and not just for campaign expenses,” the official said.

Olmert has claimed that the stream of cash envelopes he received from Talansky over a period of years was used to fund election campaigns, and to cover campaign deficits - but his assertion is now openly being challenged by police.

The charge of “personal use of funds” was tantamount to an allegation of bribery, a second source said, suggesting that the police was softening its terminology to maintain a cautious approach.”

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1211288137560&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[APRPEH]

its hard, when it comes to Olmert to give him any benefit of the doubt. Since 1981 when Israel annexed the Golan, it is no longer in the power of the PM to push through any change of status in the Golan without Knesset approval. according to INN, legislation is pushing through to require a 2/3 majority in the Knesset to approve any withdrawal. Polls in Israel consistently show majorities opposed to giving away the best wineries in the world to the barbarians.

OTOH it is fully appropriate to be holding back channel discussions to make clear the Israeli red lines for Hezbollah and Lebanon in order to avert (delay) new hostilities. Syria should understand that they will not be held unaccountable for Hezbollah's actions and will be afforded the luxury of sitting on the sidelines watching.

[forkinsocket]

Let me explain something about Israel. Israel is a corrupt country, no different from most countries in the world. They all take money from murky sources, they all do shady things. In this country, police investigations are used as a weapon & when someone is singled out for prosecution out of all the other corrupt people, it is because they p*ssed off the wrong person.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C from E.

Israel says it is holding peace talks with Syria
Yahoo News | 5/21/08 | MATTI FRIEDMAN
Posted on 05/21/2008 10:07:56 AM PDT by Dawnsblood
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2019213/posts