Olmert has killed Zionism
Ynet poll: Government to approve prisoner release
Although Gilad Shalit is still held captive, survey conducted by Ynet among ministers reveals government will approve release of Palestinian prisoners even before he is freed. Twelve ministers say they are in favor of release, five are against it
The Israeli government is ready to release Palestinian prisoners before Gilad Shalit's release. Half a year after he was kidnapped by Hamas, 12 Israeli ministers out of 24, are ready to release Palestinian prisoners ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, a poll conducted by Ynet among the ministers reveals.
Five ministers, including two deputy prime ministers, oppose the Israeli gesture. Another five ministers abstained, and two ministers refused to answer.
The government is expected to vote on the sensitive issue in the coming days, and should there be no change in the ministers' positions,
the government will approve the release.Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sought to hold a discussion on the release of Palestinian prisoners ahead of Eid al-Adha on Tuesday, following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in which PLO official Saeb Erekat asked Olmert for a gesture, in spite of the fact that Abbas is incapable of promoting Shalit's release.
Olmert promised the Palestinians to look into the issue, and held a mini-survey during Sunday's cabinet meeting. Cabinet Secretary Israel Maimon said that a date for the urgent meeting has yet to be set, ahead of the Muslim holiday which will take place during the weekend.
Supporters and opposers
The Ynet poll revealed that the ministers in favor of releasing Palestinians ahead of Eid al-Adha are: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Vice Premier Shimon Peres, Minister Eitan Cabel, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon, Minister Yitzhak Cohen, Minister Jacob Edery, Environment Minister Gideon Ezra, Minister Meshulam Nahari, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh also supports the release.
The ministers who oppose the gesture of releasing Palestinian prisoners before Shalit's release are: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eliyahu Yishai, Minister of Immigrant Absorption Ze'ev Boim, Housing and Construction Minister Meir Sheetrit and Communications Minister Ariel Atias.
Five ministers are still sitting on the fence and are avoiding making a decision at this point: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter, Minister of Pensioners Affairs Rafi Eitan and National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.
Two ministers have yet to answer the Ynet poll: Education Minister Yuli Tamir and Interior Minister Ronnie Bar-On.
Ronny Sofer
Published: 12.25.06, 18:22
Zionism is Dead, at least among the leaders of Israel.
Among the corner stones of the Jewish state were never leave a man behind and now Israel is turning it's back on three soldiers.
Israel must tell first President Bush that unless we get our men back their will be a war in 48 hours, a war that will finish the Palestinian Authority for all time. A war that will make the Palestinians feel the full power of the IDF.
We must also tell the Palestinians their end is near if we don't get the 3 soldiers back, and since they will choose to think Israel is still weak, then we must hit them like they have never been hit before.
If Israel were to turn the full power of the IDF loose on the Palestinians by the end of the first day the Palestinians will return to their true nature and run, like they have run before.
The Palestinians ran in 1948 and in 1967, if hit hard they will run in 2007.
If we must count these 3 soldiers as dead and move forward then let us move forward with courage instead of like the lap dog of the U.S.State Department.
