Israel Matzav: Sleazebag Ehud K. Olmert accuses Netanyahu of aiding Hamas

Monday, November 05, 2012

Sleazebag Ehud K. Olmert accuses Netanyahu of aiding Hamas

If we needed a reminder of what it would be like to have the sleazy Ehud K. Olmert as a player in Israeli politics, we now have it. Olmert has now accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of aiding the Hamas terror organization rather than Olmert's friends at the Fatah terror organization.

Former prime minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of deliberately strengthening Hamas in order to convince the Israeli public that there is no Palestinian partner for peace. Olmert's comments came after PA President Mahmoud Abbas made a rare verbal concession to Israel, saying he had no permanent claim on the town from which he left as a child during the War of Independence in 1948, in an interview with Channel 2.

"The government has taken steps to strengthen Hamas and to weaken the PA, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, an organization which espouses non-violence and negotiations for peace," Olmert said. "This kind of policy towards the only possible peace partner between us and the Palestinians is irresponsible and harms the vital interests of the State of Israel. The interviews that Abbas gave in recent days are proof to the Israeli public that we have somebody to talk to in order to end this bloody conflict between our nations, which has lasted far too long."

What a load of crap. Abu Mazen's elected term in office expired nearly four years ago - he represents no one. And even if he did represent someone, he has yet to make a real concession in any negotiations with Israel, whether under Olmert or under anyone else. And where was Olmert for the last three and a half years when Abu Mazen was refusing to negotiate with Israel? Why is he only coming out now when Abu Mazen, out of fear that there may be a new, pro-Israel administration in Washington, is suddenly making noises as if he is willing to talk to someone.

Prime Minister Netanyahu did not answer the sleazy Olmert directly, but Education Minister Gidon Saar and Knesset Member Danny Danon (both of the Likud) did.

Olmert's comments drew a swift and sharp condemnation by Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who called the accusation "outrageous" and labeled Olmert an advocate of the Palestinian Authority.

Sa'ar condemned the former prime minister for blaming the Israeli government for the impasse in negotiations with the Palestinians, highlighting that Olmert had "not leveled even one word of criticism at the Palestinian Authority despite [Mahmoud Abbas'] deliberate refusal for four years to negotiate with Israel."

Sa'ar also accused Olmert of complicating matters for Israel by offering Abbas far-reaching concessions during his tenure as prime minister, including agreeing to an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders and the partition of Jerusalem as part of a peace deal, which Abbas now considers a baseline for negotiations.

Likud MK Danny Danon likewise denounced Olmert, saying the former prime minister had no right to criticize the government given that he was recently convicted of breach of trust and in light of his past leadership failures.

Danon said that "if Olmert wants to protect the security of Israel then he should remain outside the political system so as not to cause any more damage."