"Blood on their hands" at Ramallah lynch: Olmert to return to scene of crime ... as willing hostage?
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday, possibly in Ramallah, the capital of the Palestinian Authority, since the last meeting was held in Jerusalem. But local media and intelligence communities are abuzz with rumors that the tit-for-tat summit location rotation may in fact be the first move in the long awaited prisoner swap in an attempt to improve Olmert's popularity ratings.
According to an Israeli insider, Olmert will allow himself and other ministers in his entourage to be kidnapped. Ramallah has been the scene of multiple kidnappings and lynchings of Israeli citizens and soldiers, including reservists who were snatched in October 2002 from their vehicle and torn limb-from-limb at and around the PA police station in full view of international photographers. One famous shot shows a young Palestinian showing his blood-covered hands out the station's window.
The Palestinians are demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners with "blood on their hands" -- including terrorists collectively responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israeli citizens. Israel has called the list "disappointing" although there has been no official rejection of their demands. Members of Olmert's own party, however, have called on the Prime Minister to free the Israeli soldier "at any cost." The visit to Ramallah is apparently part of that plan.
According to one scenario raised by intelligence insiders, Olmert's motorcade will be waylaid by a Palestinian Authority escort of Hamas "dykes on bikes." The Prime Minister, accompanied by "best boy" MK Chaim Ramon and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, will be taken to the same Police station where the previous lynching took place. Ramon will reportedly get his face slapped and stubble-burned by one of the bikers, ostensibly for trying to force on her a French kiss, but otherwise the Israeli leadership will be captured unhurt.
The plan would apparently leave the Israeli soldiers in enemy hands, but apparently that is of minor concern if the Prime Minister's popularity can be boosted as a result of the operation. Olmert and Peretz went to war last summer, ostensibly to rescue the kidnapped soldiers, but despite the purposeless deaths of more than 150 Israeli soldiers and civilians, remain in power even as the prisoners remain in captivity and Hezbollah and Hamas weapon stores now exceed what they were last summer.
In the ensuing crisis, it is believed, the remaining Israeli government will have "no choice" but to release higher level terrorist prisoners, including convicted murderer Marwan Barghouti, to retrieve the abducted ministers. Media advisors reportedly counseled Olmert that the abduction would have a positive effect on his dismal popularity ratings, although some cautioned that the plan would backfire because most Israelis would prefer that he remain in Ramallah.
Government officials, however, scoffed at the "idle speculation," saying the meeting with Abbas is merely to discuss relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority without getting into the refugee problem, demands to withdraw to the 1967 borders or surrender East Jerusalem. Israeli officials say the meeting will be a one-sided harangue by Olmert to persuade Abbas to ask his Hamas masters pretty please to stop Qassam rockets, halt Palestinian terror, and prevent weapon smuggling at the Egypt-Gaza border. An Israeli spokesman expressed confidence that the ruling Hamas party had agreed to let Abbas out of his gilded cage for the occasion, and to wear his best Italian suit, although he would still need to be restrained by a leash.
A Hamas spokesman, however, dismissed reports of an agreement to release Abbas for the meeting and said at most that the PA president could be seen through a glass during visiting hours at the Yasser Arafat Memorial Mausoleum wearing a muzzle.
A Hamas spokesman also rejected the speculation about the kidnapping plot, saying that PM Ismail Haniyeh prefers having the Israeli leadership "stay just where they are." However, he reportedly offered to swap Abbas for Olmert or other soon-to-be-convicted Israeli ministers once they are behind bars in Israel.
Security for the Ramallah summit is reportedly to be stepped up in response to the possible abduction plot, with Defense Minister Amir Peretz himself to be placed at the front of the motorcade, strapped to the bumper and sitting on the hood ornament holding his trademark megaphone to clear the way, his high-powered, plastic-piercing binoculars at the ready to spot any oncoming threat.
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.