Israel Matzav

True believers

There are no truer opponents to smoking than ex-smokers, and no truer proponents of gun control than ex-gun owners. And there is no truer proponent of giving Israel to the 'Palestinians' than Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who spent most of his political career masquerading as a right-wing Likud politician.

Yesterday, with the country at war and reserve units being called up and shipped out as quickly as possible, Olmert ordered the IDF to serve administrative orders to destroy fifteen permanent homes of revenants living in the hilltop community of Givat Ronen, near the town of Har Bracha, in Samaria, which the government considers an 'illegal outpost.' (For those who have forgotten, Amona was an 'illegal outpost').

Three of the killed and wounded in last week's battle in Bint Jbeil were residents of 'illegal outposts.'

But it gets worse....

Today, Olmert predicted that the outcome of the war in Lebanon would create "new momentum" for Olmert's convergence consolidation realignment surrender, expulsion and suicide plan for much of Judea and Samaria.

At least 10 revenants being called up for reserve duty in the IDF infantry corps on Wednesday threatened to refuse service in Lebanon to protest Olmert's comment.

"We will not go into Lebanon if the whole goal is to help expel us from our homes," the reservists told their commanders.

Right-wing MK's reacted with outrage:

"The backing Olmert received (for the war) went to his head," Knesset Member Zvi Hendel (National Union) said in response to Olmert's comments, which seemed to stun rightist Knesset members. "How many missiles and rockets need to fall on the North and South in order for Olmert to understand that state security cannot be achieved through bragging…and splitting the nation?"

The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha), meanwhile, said in a statement that "the continuation of the blind rush to realignment provides terrorism with a backwind and encourages Nasrallah to continue until all his objectives are achieved. It appears Olmert is interested in breaking up the consensus around the war, while this tough time calls for finding the common denominator."

Israel Our Home Chairman Avigdor Lieberman was also quick to condemn Olmert, saying that "Just like the disengagement brought Hamas to power and led to the massive firing of Qassams on the South and the abduction of our soldiers, so would the realignment plan lead to the massive firing of thousands of missiles on central Israel communities and Jerusalem."

"Instead of wasting billions on a dubious diplomatic adventure, it's better to invest the money in rehabilitating the North and the communities that suffered immense economic damages," Lieberman said.

There is almost no place in Israel other than the furthest southern parts of the Negev that is not within seventy kilometers of a point in Judea or Samaria.

But it's not just the right-wing MK's who were surprised by Olmert's comments:

... members of Olmert's own Kadima party raised an eyebrow over the prime minister's timing. Party members who declined to be identified said "this is not the time to talk about realignment. First we should examine the war's results, and only then decide on our diplomatic course."

Elsewhere, National Religious Party Chairman Zevulun Orlev rejected Olmert's comments.

"Any intelligent person realizes that the war defeated realignment," Orlev said. "Olmert suffers from diplomatic blindness. It's a pity that at wartime the prime minister chooses to split the nation instead of uniting it."

Far-right activist Baruch Marzel also blasted the PM, charging that "it's about time Olmert stop thinking that he rules the world."

"The man doesn't learn from mistakes – realignment will lead to Qassam rockets on Kfar Saba and Netanya," Marzel said.

And on Ben Gurion Airport.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:36 PM