Israel Matzav

Caught with his pants down, Ramon blames Netanyahu

You will recall that I reported last Thursday that opposition party MK Chaim Ramon was overheard advising 'Palestinian' chief negotiator bottle washer Saeb Erekat not to enter into direct negotiations with Prime Minister Netanyahu. After first denying that the meeting took place, and then denying that what was heard was what was said, Ramon is trying a different tack: He's accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of spying on him.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a witness to listen to his July 8 conversation with Palestinian Authority negotiations chief Saeb Erekat at Jerusalem's American Colony Hotel, Kadima council chairman Haim Ramon alleged Sunday.

An unidentified witness to Ramon and Erekat's conversation told Israel Radio anchor Ayala Hasson on Thursday that Ramon advised Erekat not to have the Palestinians enter direct talks with Israel.

Ramon denied this in an interview with Israel Radio's Yaron Deckel on Sunday and pointed fingers at Netanyahu, who told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense committee last Monday that politicians on the Left were "systematically sabotaging the start of talks with the Palestinians." When MKs asked Netanyahu whom he was referring to, he joked he could only tell the committee's intelligence subcommittee .

"What is [the anonymous witness] afraid of?" Ramon asked. "It might be, and there are rumors that attest to this, that he is connected directly or indirectly to the Prime Minister's Office... [Netanyahu] himself said there are Israelis who are harming the diplomatic process. Using sensitive intelligence information to try to get a political advantage is a crime."

And Chaim Ramon would never commit a crime, would he?

The JPost adds this little tidbit:

The Likud responded by accusing Ramon of "stooping to a new low in chutzpah and political undermining" and Kadima leader Tzipi Livni of complacency towards Ramon's act by not condemning or firing him. They noted that Yediot Aharonot reported in May that Ramon had told American National security council Middle East desk head Dan Shapiro not to bother with Netanyahu and to wait for Livni.

Hmmm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:19 PM