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PM Ehud Olmert: optimistic (file photo)
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| By Israel Insider staff July 2, 2007 |
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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that Israel will remove roadblocks between Fatahland towns to grant Arab residents "limited freedom of movement." Even though the checkpoints routinely uncover bomb and weapon smuggling attempts, Olmert justified the concession, urged by the Americans and demanded by the Fatah regime.
"The political clout we will gain is worth the increased risk," Olmert claimed during a briefing with the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
The prime minister also said that he intends to release 250 prisoners to convey to the Palestinian people that "when they fight Hamas and accept the Quartet's conditions, they will receive something in exchange." However, Fatah has not in most cases fought Hamas, preferring as a rule to run away. It was unclear who has accepted the Quartet's conditions.
He emphasized that he would only prisoners without "blood on their hands," who have not been involved in violent acts against Israelis. The plan has run into a hitch because there do not appear to be 250 imprisoned Fatah men who do not have blood on their hands.
Olmert noted that he had promised not to release prisoners if Hamas took part in the Palestinian Authority, but that things had changed since Abbas had retreated to Fatahland and created a Hamas-free emergency government.
"The minute that Abu Mazen resumes contacts with Hamas, Israel will cut off contacts with him," Olmert said, referring to Abbas. He did not say if, under that condition, the prisoners would be recaptured.
However, he said, "I don't want to delude anyone into thinking there won't be attempted attacks from Judea and Samaria," using the Biblical name for Fatahland.
"There are terrorists there. We will fight them and they will attempt to carry out terror attacks," he added. He didn't say how removing the checkpoints and releasing the terrorists would aid in that effort.
Olmert told the committee that United States President George Bush is determined to sign a ten-year agreement with Israel, which "will substantially increase foreign aid to Israel, as we requested." He said that the intention to increase aid reflects the understanding demonstrated by the Americans regarding the increased threat to Israel and the need for Israel to equip itself against this threat.
Congress has not approved the increased aid request.
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