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| By: Israel Insider staff |
| Published: June 29, 2007 |
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Israel and the Palestinian Authority are discussing implementation of a forgotten clause from a 2005 understanding whereby Israel would stop pursuing wanted terror suspects in the West Bank if they forswear terrorism, government officials said Thursday, according to a Jerusalem Post report.
Even as the officials' astonishing comments were released, Israeli forces were going after after "moderate" Fatah terror suspects in Nablus, and taking casualties up in the process.
Even though Israel was willing to "make gestures" to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his "moderate" Fatah movement, it would continue to pursue those Fatah members actively involved in terrorism, regardless of their organizational affiliation, the officials said.
Unless of course they express profound regret and promise wholeheartedly never, ever to do those really, really bad things again. At least not for a while. Or, at least, while anyone is looking. Unless of course they were terrorizing in a moderate fashion befitting a Fatah member.
The idea of forgoing the pursuit of wanted men if they renounce terrorism was part of the Sharm e-Sheikh understandings that were reached between Abbas and then-prime minister Ariel Sharon in 2005. It was agreed then to discuss the issue, but nothing was ever implemented. But now Olmert's administration appears to be hungry for ways to stop fighting terror.
The cabinet on Sunday will vote on whether to release 250 Fatah security prisoners, as Olmert said he would recommend. The cabinet will also decide on the criteria for release, though Olmert has already made clear that they would not be prisoners with "blood on their hands." However, blood on their legs or other body parts would not be objectionable.
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