Palileaks: The Palestine Papers

Al-Jazeera released a selection of documents that were apparently leaked from someone on the Palestinian side. The documents apparently represent the Palestinian's view of the various negotiations with Israel over the past 20 years, with emphasis currently on the most recent Olmert-Livni/Abbas-Erekat negotiations.

We'll be examining the material and explaining it throughout the day.

Assuming the documents are real and unmodified, the most obvious question is who released it, and whom were they trying to hurt (or help) by doing so.

Update: Olmert's spokesman confirms many of the details of the agreement as mentioned in PaliLeaks, but adds that they (Olmert and Co.) still don't understand why the Palestinians turned it down.

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Now I'm definitely voting Kadima!

Ynetnews Reports:

Former IDF Chief Halutz joins Kadima

Former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz arrived at the Kadima Party headquarter to submit a membership form.

Halutz declared his intention in the past to join the political arena and compete for a place in the Knesset. (Attila Somfalvi)

Halutz, the ex-Chief of Staff who brazenly lead the IDF's less-than-stellar performance in the Second Lebanon War, and who ran to sell his stock portfolio at the start of the war (instead of being in the command center) has joined the party of winners; Kadima.

Some of their impressive top starring members include:

Ehud Olmert (Kadima): former PM, Dozens of criminal charges have been filed against him. All currently in court. Resigned in shame.

Chaim Ramon (Kadima): Convicted sex predator, forced to resign as Justice Minister.

Avraham Hirschson (Kadima) Former Finance Minister, sentenced to 5 years and 5 months in jail for larceny (NIS 2 million -- roughly $508,000), executive theft, fraud, breach of trust, illicitly obtaining funds, money laundering and falsifying corporate documents.

Tzachi HaNegbi (Kadima): Convicted of Perjury, a crime with moral turpitude. He's now trying to improve Israel's society, by running for CEO of a company that wants to bring legalized gambling to Eilat and Arad.

Questions Anyone?

hat-tip: DC

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Holy Holyland Corruption, Batman

Cartoon credit: the amazing Shay Charka.

With every passing day, new names are publicized as suspects in Israel's largest corruption scandal, ever. The "Holyland" building complex in Jerusalem is a terrible eye-sore, and no one can possibly drive by it without wondering, "how in the world was such a monstrosity ever approved to be built, totally ruining Jerusalem's skyline?"

The answer obviously, corruption.

As the police dredges through the sewers of Israel's past and present politicians, the scandal has grown to include other real-estate projects through the country, including "Tzuk Manara" near Kiryat Shmona and the Dead Sea Hotel district.

To date the following names have been publicized as suspects and/or connected to the case.

- R' Ovadia Yosef, Shas Spiritual Leader [source]
- Foreign Minister, MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) [source]
- MK Ruhama Avraham (Kadima) [source]
- past-MK Danny Naveh (Likud) [source]
- past-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (Kadima) [source]
- Shula Zaken (Olmert's office manager) [source]
- Attorney Uri Messer (long-time confidante, senior Olmert aide) [source]
- Meir Rabin (Chareid Askan) [source]
- Uri Lupolianski (Former Jerusalem mayor, UTJ) [source]
- Yehoshua Pollack (former Jerusalem deputy mayor, UTJ) [source]
- Yaakov Efrati (former Israel Lands Authority chairman) [source]
- Dan Dankner (former Bank Hapoalim chairman and former Israel Salt Industries owner) [source]
- Eli Simhayoff (former Jerusalem deputy mayor, director of the Danya Cebus construction company) [source]

Additional names that have popped up as secondary connections.

- Aliza Olmert, wife of former PM, Ehud Olmert. Were her lame paintings sold for thousands, as a means of giving Ehud Olmert a cash infusion? Leading businessmen reportedly own her paintings, including Alrov tycoon and chairman Alfred Akirov, Dov Lautman, and Adv. Ram Caspi. [source]

- Supreme Court Justice Edna Arbel. She's good friends with Uri Messer's wife...and also owns a luxury apartment in the Holyland building monstrosity. [source]

Don't forget, there's the censored, media blackout on the State's Witness, reportedly a senior member of Israel law-enforcement or judiciary branches...I can't print this person's name yet, or provide any hints as to their identity.

Of course, everyone is innocent till proven guilty; except for Ehud Olmert.

Stay tuned - many more names to come...

Visiting Israel?Learn to Shoot at Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Keep Calm and Carry On

Hi People -- Jameel here.

Yes, I know I've been strangely silent the past week or so, as JoeSettler and others have escaped the asylum and taken over the blog.

Have no fear, I'm fine. I was just overwhelmed with work and personal issues that needed addressing, and I felt I needed a long deserved break after blogging the war around the clock.

During a joust to London last week, I came across the most fascinating sign -- a relic from World War II. This poster was intended to be hung up throughout England to ensure that his Majesty's subjects would remain prim and proper throughout the German bombings of London.

"You can carry on with your business" I can almost hear Obi Wan Kenobi informing a weak-minded StormTrooper:

Obi-Wan: He can go about his business.

Stormtrooper: You can go about your business.

Obi-Wan: Move along.

Stormtrooper: Move along... move along.

(ok, so it was "move along" instead of "carry on", but it was close enough)

Israel's Cast-Lead operation is but a distant memory in the minds of Palestinian terrorists who are back to shooting rockets at Israel on a daily basis.

Five, seven, now ten a day are hitting Israel's south...and the 100th rocket to hit Israel since the IDF's operation has passed.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert then lets loose silly statements at today's cabinet meeting, "The State of Israel has a broad range of actions that it can take. This range of actions will be exhausted until complete quiet is brought to the south." (ynet)

However, the residents of Israel's south aren't so easily placated:

Paula Kantori, a resident of Shokeda, a town in the Eshkol Regional Council, also feels as though the military operation in Gaza has yet to be concluded. "With all the pain entailed in doing so, they (the military) needed to stay there. In my opinion, we as residents withstood the rockets extraordinarily. So we expect the government and the military to continue to take care of us," she claimed.

According to her, the residents live with no sense of security in light of the IDF's anemic response to the rocket firings. "In the first days that saw rocket fire from Gaza, I was scared. But afterwards, when the operation began, we felt safe, that someone was protecting us. Now we don't have that feeling anymore. We are back to the same old story. We we left, we said we would respond to the first Qassam. Today we have already reached the 100th Qassam," she recounted.

"I feel like an actor in a tragedy, where the stage is the southern region," said Yagil Yavin, a resident of Nir Yitzhak, a town in Eshkol Regional Council. (ynet)

However, Prime Minister Olmert has a hidden plan -- he also printed up posters for distribution in Ashkelon, Sderot, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Kiryat Gat and Yavneh, and you lucky readers can see them here first in a Muqata exclusive:

And don't even bother reminding Olmert about Gilad Shalit.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Maligning Hevron's Jews -- Calling them Dogs

JPost: Setters Return to "Federman Farm"

"Setter" From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog's behavior defies nature, and the dog freezes rather than chases after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch or "set" upon finding their quarry. Most setters are born with a natural proclivity to hunting. Dogs which show excitement and interest in birds are described as being "birdy", and trainers look for puppies that show this particular trait. Training is usually done with domesticated pigeons. The ancestors of modern setters probably originated in Spain in the 1500s and evolved from spaniels. Later these dogs were exported to France and England where the breeds were developed into today's varieties. Most setter breeds have long smooth, silky coats that require maintenance. Setters have a tendency to be happy, playful dogs and are usually very friendly both to people and other dogs. They have a great deal of energy and require daily exercise. Setters include the following breeds: English Setter, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter (also called a red setter), Irish Red and White Setter, Black Welsh Setter, Russian Setter.

But Seriously.

Forget the stupid typo in the JPost: What was Federman Farm destruction all about?

Elisheva Federman described the ordeal on Saturday night to YNET:

"It was a regular Saturday evening. We were cleaning after Shabbat. Our nine children went to sleep. I finished working on a paper for school, Noam was on the computer, when we suddenly heard dogs barking.

"We received a phone call that massive forces were headed towards us. Noam went out to see what was happening, and then Yasamniks ((Israel Police special patrol unit) jumped on him. I haven't seen him since.

"I saw herds of black uniform. I locked the door, but they broke into the house, smashed the windows, and all this without any warning. The children woke up and came to my room.

"Three of the children – aged six, eight and 12 – asked me what to do. I told them to go to Givat Haharsina, knock on good people's doors and ask them to take them to their grandfather and grandmother in Kiryat Arba.

"They pulled out the entire contents of the house. Everything that was in the cupboards – books, clothes, money. They forcibly removed us from the house and took us to the Gush Etzion Junction. They said we were all under arrest. Me and six other children – aged one, three, nine, 14, 16 and 17.

"They destroyed the entire house and cut off its gas supply. Several hours later, they told us we were not under arrest and let me go back to the house to take the car. I saw the complete destruction in the place and they told me, 'Take what you want.'

"Eighteen years of marriage are folded under the wreckage. I didn’t even have Materna to take for the baby. The oldest daughter was taken to the police station and was arrested after her hand was broken."

The Federman family has been living in the place for two and a half years. According to the residents, the far had been manned for 11 years. Elisheva Federman said there was no legal motive for the evacuation.

"We have had right of possession on this land for 10 years. No Arab has demanded it. We launched legal proceedings and paid a lot of money. How can they do this without any warning? I hope God gives us the strength to return. We have no property now. We can build a tent there. We have nothing to lose," she said.

Photos of the destruction of the Federman's home. They were not allowed to save anything from the home till after it was destroyed. They were only shown the destruction and eviction orders after the home was destroyed.

This comes at the same time that Defense Minister Ehud Barak has just authorized 600 armed Fatah "policemen" to enter Hevron. These policemen were trained under the supervision of the United States.

It boggles the mind that the US has anything to do with Palestinian Policemen training, considering that the Palestinians attribitue the large number of Israelis killed and wounded in the current Intifada -- to the credit of their American training.

"I do not think that the operations of the Palestinian resistance would have been so successful and would have killed more than one thousand Israelis since 2000 and defeated the Israelis in Gaza without these [American] trainings," a senior officer of President Abbas's Force 17 Presidential Guard unit, Abu Yousuf, said.

America has longstanding training programs at a base in the West Bank city of Jericho for members of Force 17, which serves as de facto police units in the West Bank, and for another major Fatah security force, the Preventative Security Services.

This weekend diplomatic security officials announced that the State Department will begin training Force 17 again this year in an effort to bolster Mr. Abbas against Hamas, which took over the Gaza Strip in June when the terror group easily defeated American-backed Fatah forces in the territory. [NY SUN]

In addition to Fatah policemen's recent spate of terrorist activities, Tanazim "operatives" were responsible for the murder of Hevron's 10 month old Shalhevet Pass.

Warning: If you have the stomach, see the story and photo here. Its important to see, but I advise against children viewing it.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Olmert's Pogrom Against the Settlers

Shabbat Morning, 7:50 AM.

I was rudely awakened by my pager's buzzing, as an incoming message from the IDF spelled out that a terror attack just took place not from from us in the settlement of Yitzhar. A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the Shalhevet Yam neighborhood of Yitzhar, set fire to a building, and stabbed a nine year old boy. The terrorist fled and was not apprehended. Security should be tightened in the surrounding areas.

Additional details came in ... the terrorist tried burning down a second home as well, and the 9 year old discovered the attack and started yelling for help. It was then the terrorist stabbed him 5 times in the back until the knife broke....he then threw him off the balcony of a caravan -- a 12 foot drop.

What we all found out on Saturday night was that the terror attack against the 9 year old was a minor detail -- the big story was the settler reprisal against the village that hosted the terrorist.

The IDF's inaction of not chasing after the terrorist infuriated the residents of Yitzhar -- this terror attack came on the heels of their fields routinely burnt down by Palestinians. Yes, the settlers reacted, took the law into their own hand and went into the village. Were their actions a beacon of democracy and good will towards their Palestinian neighbors? Nope. Should the IDF have done their job? Yes. Should the police have done their job? Yes.

No one did their job except for the Palestinian terrorist.

Yitzhar's community spokesman reported the following:

The stabbing attack and torching of an empty home in the settlement marked the "climax of the abuse perpetrated by Arab residents of the nearby village," Yitzhar Spokesman Yigal Amitai told Ynet. He also slammed the IDF conduct earlier in the day, referring to the army's failure to identify or capture the terrorist behind the attack.

"It's clear to everyone that this incident could have ended disastrously," Amitai said. "A whole family would have been butchered and burned. Yitzhar residents said that in recent months Arabs set seven fires in the settlement's wheat fields.

"To our regret, in all those incidents no real deterrent activity was conducted by the military and army," Amitai said.

The settlement spokesman also slammed the reactions issued by leftist Knesset members and groups during the Shabbat.

"They knew well that because of the sanctity of Shabbat we won't be able to respond in the media, and therefore took advantage of it," he said. Meanwhile, members of the Jewish National Front said that "the time has come for the Arabs to realize that Judea and Samaria residents aren't suckers…it would be better for the IDF and police to address Arabs who stab a nine-year-old Jewish boy, rather than target those who seek to defend themselves." (YNET)

The media pogrom against the settlers was swift and brutal, everyone conveniently refusing to condemn or acknowledge the severity of the terror attack that triggered yesterday's events.

MK Ahmed Tibi: referred to the settlers as "two-legged animals" following the riots. (ynet)

MK Zahava Gal-on: It's impossible to have a situation whereby the army is doing nothing while this is going on... the time has come to end the policy of inaction vis-à-vis the settlers." (ynet)

Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheim: "The settlers do not miss any opportunity to hurt Palestinians and endanger human life" (ynet)

But the best is reserved for Ehud Olmert to comment:

"There will be no pogroms against non-Jewish residents in the State of Israel -- a terror attack took place over the weekend in northern Samaria against a Yitzhar resident. A terrorist entered the community, a young boy was injured and there was an attempt to carry out a more severe attack. This is a serious and grave matter." (YNET)

It's much more serious and grave to Ehud Olmert that the Yitzhar residents should be upset at the torching of 2 buildings, upset at the IDF's inaction against terrorists, upset at the terror attack against a 9 year old -- and then they overturn a car and charge through the village which harbors terrorists....all that is much more grave and serious than the terrorist attack against a nine year old.

Yet let's take a step back. Can you imagine what the Arabs would do when there's an attack against them by a Jew? I'm sure they are the epitome of calm, and coldly calculated reasoned action. And if they would lose their cool, they would be soundly criticized by Ehud Olmert and the MKs of the left...?

Let's examine an actual case study from 2005.

Situation; Four people were killed and at least six others were wounded after army deserter Eden Natan Zada opened fire aboard a bus in the Arab town of Shfaram, in northern Israel.

Eyewitnesses said angry locals, or possibly bus passengers, managed to storm the bus following the attack and killed the shooter. Police reportedly had trouble retrieving the body, which was lying on the stairs of the bus, as a result of the angry Arab mob gathered at the scene.

Reaction against the terrorist: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued a special statement following the Shfaram shooting saying, “This is a vile act by a blood-thirsty Jewish terrorist who aimed to hurt innocent citizens.” “Terror by citizens against citizens is the most dangerous thing regarding Israel’s future and its democratic character,” the statement said

What happened to the blood thirsty Palestinian terrorist this past Shabbat that tried killed a 9 year old? Did anyone dare call him a vile, blood thirsty terrorist?

At the scene in Shfaram, a lynch mob disarmed the Jewish terrorist, and then rioted, taking the law into their own hands, and killed Eden Zada. In response to the possibility of charges being brought against those who took the law into their own hands MK Barakeh said, "We will take action to break any hand that is raised against us."

Balad chairman, MK Jamal Zahalka slammed the Haifa prosecution's decision to subpoena the Shfaram residents in the case: "This is an act of provocation. The police failed to find out who was assisting Zada and who sent him, and are blaming the victims. If they indict they will have riots on their hands"

Any comments from MK Tibi about the 2 legged animals in Shfaram?

Any comment from MK Zehava Gal-on the impossibility of a situation whereby the police is doing nothing while this is going on -- or has he time has come to end the policy of inaction vis-à-vis the Arabs?"

I don't recall Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheim saying the "The arabs do not miss any opportunity to hurt Jews and endanger human life"

And of course, Olmert was uncharacteristically silent then too.

It seems that its settler season again.

I was reminded of the painful artistic expression on road 60 near Beit-El, 10 years ago after many terror attacks on the roads.

A congregation of benevolent, smart and wise
gave guns to the foxes.
And as the days grew, the era of peace they hallucinated
turned [us] to a flock of ducks.






Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Olmert to Olim: America is here?!

Continuing their mission of bringing World Jewry to Israel, yet another Nefesh B'Nefesh chartered airplane landed in Israel this morning, as 235 more Jews returned home -- as new immigrants. Dubbed, The "Singles" flight, 92 of the immigrants are singles (57 women and 35 men)...let's hope they don't get sucked into the Katamon "Srugim" swamp! (btw, How do we know Srugim isn't authentic? Because the characters never talk about the Srugim TV show! If they were authentic, they would be talking about the show, just as religious Jews are talking about the show all the time...)

Yet as Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert is being recommended by the Israel police for charges to be brought against him for: fraud, bribery, and corruption, he found the time to welcome the new immigrants.

"You have come to the greatest country in the world. It's true that we face dangers and threats, but they cannot harm the State of Israel. The State of Israel will live forever as a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. The olim are the answer to any threat."

The prime minister went on to praise the Israeli economy, and added, "America is here."

America is here?!

Jews move to Israel because it's Israel, and not America.

Israel is not the "greatest country" in the world -- it is the most special country to the Jewish people, but not the "greatest". If Israel were America, Olmert would have resigned in shame months ago, instead of brazenly continuing as Prime Minister and pushing dubious political discussions with Syria and the Palestinians without a moral mandate.

Welcome home Olim -- and please try to ignore our Prime Minister. He's just an insignificant blip on the radar of Jewish history.

Among those who arrived in Israel on Monday were a three-month old baby and an 86-year-old woman, as well as 34 families, 48 children and 18 youths who will soon join the Israel Defense Forces. Ten new dogs will also have to get used to the Israeli climate from now on.

Israeli climate...and the Knesset.

Despite them -- welcome home! You will make this country better, and hopefully we will eventually be proud of our nation's government.

Lurker adds:

Olmert's stupid remark about Israel being America wasn't the only inappropriate comment he made to the olim. Apparently, he also saw fit to make some partisan politcal remarks, too:

"[MK Yoel] Hasson is a member of Kadima, he will be one of the party's senior
leaders, and it will remain a leading party in Israel."

Seeing a planeload of olim juxtaposed with Ehud Olmert is a study in contrasts. As a rule, olim are sincere idealists, committed to their Jewish and Zionist values. They are living models of Jewish selflessness, and tend to be interested in doing whatever they can to contribute to the Jewish people, and to strengthen the Jewish people's hold on its eternal homeland. Olmert, on the other hand, is practically the very opposite: He's a conniving cynic, interested in little but his own personal advancement. He has demonstrated his willingness to make tens of thousands of Jews homeless, and to jepoardize the security of his people, just in order to score a few political points. And his level of corruption has raised eyebrows even among the jaded Israeli public.

So its hardly surprising that Nefesh b'Nefesh felt compelled to take the embarrassing precaution of appealing to the olim to bite their tongues, and to refrain from showing any disrespect to this odious man while he was addressing them. You might imagine that Olmert, for his part, would have the minimal good sense to steer clear of politics when speaking to them. But you would be wrong.

This is one of the talkbacks on the article (#14), from Dr. David M. Feigenbaum of Netanya:

I attended the cermony. We were asked to respect the office of the Prime
Minister at least twice before he spoke. We honored that request until he
injected politics into his speech. When he mentioned Kadima we booed him.

Olmert is a boorish nincompoop.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Morris Talansky vs. Israel's Security

Denied the option of a ruling in NY -- if Morris "the laundry man" Talansky wants to sue the ImageSat company, he'll have to submit the case to an Israeli court.

Talansky, part owner of ImageSat tried to sue the other shareholder companies (Elbit and Israel Aircraft) for refusing to sell ImageSat imagery to Iran's ally Venezuela. Despite the fact the Israel's defense ministry was against the deal with Venezuela (due to the impact on Israel's security), Israel's "friend" Morris Talansky tried his best to push the deal forward.

The ruling is also good news for the Israeli government, which took the unusual step of officially requesting that the lawsuit be brought under Israel's jurisdiction. It had expressed concern that American procedures do not provide enough secrecy for information that might be related to national security.

The Venezuela deal at issue in the ImageSat suit may be at least tangentially related to a corruption investigation that is threatening to topple Prime Minister Olmert of Israel. One of the American plaintiffs in the case, Morris Talansky, was questioned this week over whether he received any favors from Mr. Olmert in return for giving him about $150,000 in cash over a 15-year period.

Mr. Talansky's connection to Mr. Olmert has not been an issue in the ImageSat lawsuit so far. But Israeli newspapers have suggested that Mr. Olmert made a phone call to an Israeli diplomat in Venezuela asking him to facilitate the deal between Venezuela and ImageSat — despite the alleged opposition of the Israeli defense ministry. (NY Sun)

Then again, doing anything to aid Ehud Olmert is also against Israel's security.

At least Talansky's consistent.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Israel's National Bird Chosen!

Over 155,000 thousand Israelies voted to chose Israel's national bird, which was announced yesterday.

Only a few votes decided tipped the scales for the winning bird, the Hooppe, as Israel's national bird. (photo credit, Israel Fichman)

Israel's President Shimon Peres, who announced the winning bird said, "today more than ever we need green scenery, fresh air, and the beautiful, multi-colored birds that flock here." He added that "ornithology is one of the main assets of our small country." The president also remarked that 500 million birds pass through Israel's skies annually. "For such a small country, that's a world record," he concluded. (YNET)

The runner-up candiate, the "Ehud Olmert Seagull" seen in this movie, came in second

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Ehud Barak's hypocrisy

Ehud Barak has got stupendously mind-blowing chutzpa to presume to castigate Ehud Olmert from the moral high ground. Apparently, this entire country has completely forgotten the 2000 State Comptroller's Report, which laid out in excruciating detail the scandal of Barak's network of phony amutot (NPO's) – many of which purported to be charities – through which he illegally funneled millions of dollars into his own election campaigns. Barak did the exact same things that Olmert did. Barak even had his own personal Morris Talansky – an English millionaire by the name of Octav Botner. Barak's strategic advisor at the time – Tal Zilberstein – masterminded and oversaw the entire money laundering scheme, and became one of the prime suspects named in the criminal investigation opened against Barak. Zilberstein is a man who certainly gets around: Today, he is Olmert's strategic advisor.

None of Barak’s sordid history, of course, has deterred him from pontificating against Olmert today, demanding that Olmert resign or suspend himself. Nor do the media seem to have noticed the incredible irony and hypocrisy in Barak assuming the mantle of Mr. Clean with regard to a matter involving illegal cash transfers and money laundering. What a surprise.

For background and details on the Barak money laundering scandal, here are a few articles from the time of the release of the 2000 Comptroller's Report:

• Mr Barak and the millionaire car dealer who funded his victory



• Barak party told it is under inquiry over its finances



• The Prime Minister and the Amutot

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Urgent Email from Olmert

Got this by email a few minutes ago...

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Ehud Olmert <pm@pmo.gov.il>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Subject: urgent
To: Jameel Rashid <muqata@gmail.com>

From: PM Ehud Olmert

Greetings from Jerusalem

Before I introduce myself, I wish to inform you that this letter is not a hoax mail and I urge you to treat it serious. We want to transfer to overseas account (30,000.000 NIS) Thirty million New Israeli Shekels from a prime Bank here in Israel. I want to ask you, if you are not capable to quietly look for reliable and honest person who will be capable and fit to provide either an existing bank account or to set up a new Bank a/c immediately to receive this money, even an empty a/c can serve to receive this money, as long as you will remain honest to me till the end for this important business trusting in you and believing in God that you will never let me down either now or in future.

I am PM Ehud Olmert, presently the Prime Minister of Israel. Potentially in the course of an audit next week, it will be discovered that I have a floating fund in an account opened in the bank in 1990, in which I regularly deposited envelopes full of cash. I discovered that with the audit next week, if I do not get this money out urgently it will be forfeited for nothing.

The official owner of this account is my wife Aliza, a great artist and a resident of Jerusalem, who unfortunately never had any art skills, and it shows it what she produces.

While we would have claimed that the deposits were for artwork, no one believes that any more, as who would actually by her crap. No other person knows about this account or anything concerning it - yet.

The total amount involved is Thirty million New Israeli Shekels only [30,000.000.00 NIS] and we wish to transfer this money into safe foreigners account abroad. But while I know many foreigners who give me money, I don't know any foreigner who will keep their mouth shut; I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local person here, but to a foreigner who has information about the account, which I shall give to you upon your positive response. I am revealing this to you with believe in God that you will never let me down in this business, you are the first and the only person that I am contacting for this business, so please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take urgently.

At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 40% of the total amount, 50% will be for us while 10% will be for the expenses both parties may incurred during this transaction. PLEASE, TREAT THIS PROPOSAL AS TOP SECRET.

I look forward to your earliest reply

Best Regards,

PM Ehud Olmert

Jerusalem, Israel

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Party On?

A child's shoe at the scene of the rocket attack (14.5.08),
Ashkelon Shopping Mall.
photo by EFE

In light of yesterday's rocket attack, where over a hundred people were wounded at an Ashkelon Shopping Mall, should yesterday's gala dinner and celebration in Jerusalem hosted by Shimon Peres as part of the Israel's 60th birthday "President's Conference" have continued as planned?

Should Israel's leadership have gone to Ashkelon to comfort its residents or convened an emergency session with the IDF on how to provide minimal security for Israel? Or should they have continued, "business as usual" with the dinner, heaping lavish superlatives on George Bush and the United States insisting "the party must go on?"

Driving home, I listed to Shimon Peres' speech last night at the dinner party over the radio. Despite his initial mention of the terror attack, his speech was rosy and euphoric. Not mentioning Israel's missing soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon, Peres glowed as he addressed world leaders. VIPs and wealthy businessmen. The crowd cheered and clapped with his every mention of Sederot, the IDF, and America's friendship, specifically that of George Bush. There was only one statement that left the crowd strangely silent, "We have not lost our will for peace."

No one clapped, no one cheered.

The more the daily reality of Palestinian terror and violence contrasts with Shimon Peres' view of Middle East peace, the more his resolve and ideology is strengthened. It's almost Messianic. Sedeort? Ashkelon? Suicide Bombers? Gaza?

Forget yesterday. Ignore today. Let's look for tomorrow.

Dreams can be achieved through pragmatism yet the Peres dream for peace is based on fantasy.

While Peres and Olmert continue to party, the rest of us are mourning the dead and praying for a full recovery for our wounded.

Party on? I'll pass.



24 year old Adi Afgin, has requested that people pray for the recovery of his wife and 2 year old daughter who were both seriously wounded in yesterday's rocket attack in Ashkelon.

His 2 year old daughter's name is "Ta'eer bat Avital" and his wife's name is "Avital bat Penina"

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

The Laundry Man

Morris Talansky, of course, is the suddenly famous American Jewish businessman who funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, currently under police investigation. The payments were made during Olmert's tenures as Jerusalem Mayor, and later as Minister of Industry and Trade, and were disguised as contributions made to the "New Jerusalem Foundation"*, a charitable organization founded by Olmert, and under his direct control. Talansky operated as the NJF's main U.S. contact and treasurer.

Who, exactly, is Morris Talansky, and whose interests does he represent? Well, among other things, Talansky is an ordained rabbi, with semicha from YU, and he served once in a pulpit position in Portland, Oregon. He later went into business, and became embroiled in many conflicts and lawsuits with his various associates. These conficts are marked by allegations of violent threats and extortion, and a review of the court records paints the picture of a shady loan shark that seems to be a character right out of an episode of The Sopranos. From the New York Times:

At least two of the lawsuits involving Mr. Talansky contain allegations that he or people he enlisted made threats in the course of collecting debts or resolving business conflicts.

He sued one of his accusers, Richard Penzer, for libel in 1995 in state court on the grounds that the accusations had jeopardized Mr. Talansky’s longtime job raising money for Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. The case was settled three years later, when Mr. Talansky accepted $60,000 and a one-line apology from Mr. Penzer.

Initially at odds with Mr. Talansky over a real estate deal, Mr. Penzer had sent donors and officials associated with Shaare Zedek letters in 1994 asserting that Mr. Talansky had threatened him "with the expressed goal of extorting money".

Court records include a sworn statement from a police file, dated January 1992, in which a Long Island man said he had met Mr. Talansky one night at Scores, a topless bar in Manhattan, and tried to help him collect a debt from Mr. Penzer.

"He began to tell me about how he took a devastating loss of approximately $2.8 million in a real estate deal that went bad," the Long Island man, Michael Sciotto, told the police. "He was swindled and he described it as a setup."

The statement continued, "I told him I would talk to Mr. Penzer and see if I could shake him up a little and possibly could get Talansky’s money back."

In another lawsuit, Mr. Talansky sued a man who he said promised him "substantial interest at low or no risk" on a $300,000 loan he made in 1998 to the Forgotten Woman, a retail chain that went bankrupt three months after his loan.

After much litigation, the defendant, Frederick Schulman, prevailed in court on the fraud counts but also made a counterclaim accusing Mr. Talansky of sending "thugs" to collect money from him.

Mr. Talansky replied that he had sold the right to collect part of the debt to a third party and could not be held responsible. The judge rejected Mr. Schulman’s request for summary judgment on the extortion charge, but said he could pursue it in a trial. The parties eventually settled, according to a lawyer in the case.

Olmert and his sponsor, Morris "Laundry Man" Talansky

Using the "New Jerusalem Foundation" as a conduit, Talansky has been funneling money to Olmert for nine years. But Olmert isn't the only policitian Talansky has helped out: Over the last two decades, he has made generous financial contributions to the campaigns of Mayor Rudy Guilianni (Republican, 2000), President George W. Bush (Republican, 2003), Senator Edward M. Kennedy (Democrat, 1992), House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (Democrat, 1994) President Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1995). An equal-opportunity contributor, indeed.

In her written logs of Olmert's payments from Talansky, Shula Zaken, Olmert's personal secretary (recently placed under house arrest), refers to Talansky as "The Laundry Man".

So Talansky is a colorful charcter indeed: A money-laundering loan-shark Orthodox rabbi who uses thugs to "shake up" his creditors, who meets with his business associates in topless bars, and who took on the role, for nearly a decade, of Ehud Olmert's patron.

But there's more to Talansky than this, much more.

Morris Talansky is a founding partner, and a major shareholder, of ImageSat, an Israeli company that rents out access to spy satellites and their high-resolution images -- often to governments, for purposes of military intelligence. ImageSat is enjoined by an agreement with the Israeli Defense Ministry from selling access or data to Arab states at war with Israel, or to the "rogue states" of Iran, Cuba, and North Korea. However, Talansky and his group of fellow shareholders are anxious for a quick return on their investment, and are less than happy with these pesky restrictions. They have attempted to skirt the ban on sales to Iran by negotiating a deal with notorious Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez, a close ally of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. Chavez is a radical Marxist and anti-American, and like Ahmedinejad, has called for the destruction of Israel. Talansky's associate and fellow ImageSat shareholder Stephen Wilson began negotiating a large-scale deal with Chavez in 1999, and even moved to Venezuela in 2001. By 2002, he secured Chavez's interest in a multi-million dollar deal with ImageSat for spy satellite access.

But to the chagrin of Wilson, Talansky, and their fellow investors, ImageSat -- together with its parent companies, Israel Aircraft Industries and Elbit Systems -- balked at the deal for obvious security reasons. Enraged, Talansky and friends filed suit against ImageSat, in a bid to force them to provide Chavez with the spy data.

In the lawsuit, the investors also charge ImageSat with blocking similar lucrative deals they tried to make with Angola and Russia, also countries closely allied with Israel's enemies.

So while Talansky was fighting to circumvent Israel's security restrictions on ImageSat, he was also giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to Israel's Minister of Industry and Trade, Ehud Olmert. It will be interesting to see whether the ImageSat conflict plays any role in the current investigation and expected indictment.

To call Talansky a hilul Hashem would be a gross understatement. As an orthodox Rabbi who, at best, operates in the gray zone of the law, he is certainly an awful embarrassment. But Talansky is far more than just a loan shark with a yarmulkeh: He is a man who does not hesitate to place his own narrow financial interests over the interests of Israel's security and the survival of his fellow Jews. It's very easy to understand why Olmert chose the patronage of such a like-minded person.


* The media seems a bit confused about whether to refer to this organization as "The New Jerusalem Foundation" or "The New Jerusalem Fund". See here for details.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Front Runner: Tzippi Livni

With Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's chances of political survival diminishing by the hour, the White House Staff has reportedly been instructed by President Bush and Condoleeza Rice to treat Israel's Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni as Olmert's replacement. (Scoop here in Hebrew)

This doesn't bode well for Israel.

My esteemed blogging colleague, Likud analyst par-excellence Professor Ben Chorin has said of Livni, "Tzippi Livni -- whose utter lack of charm, grace and charisma is occasionally mistaken for intelligence..."

Adding more credence to Olmert's demise, PA head Muhammad Abbas believes that the negotiations with Olmert are going to end up having been a "big waste of time". (YNET)

I'll drink to that.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Bypassing the Gag-order; Olmert Scandal #237

The iron-clad, gag-order against the on-going investigation of Israel's PM Ehud Olmert is showing signs of rusting away.

Two leading newspapers in Israel have already broken the order and have printed some of the details surrounding the investigation.

However!

Since this blog is hosted on a US server via Google, I will now break the gag-order and show you the many as yet unpublished details of the investigation (which have been confirmed as accurate by Israel Channel 2 Radio, Army Radio and others)...

Presenting; the investigation against PM Ehud Olmert, scandal 237...

NY Post: May 6, 2008 -- A Long Island mogul is at the center of a sensational bribery scandal that could bring down embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, The Post has learned.

Millionaire financier Morris Talansky - who runs an investment firm out of his tony home in Woodmere - allegedly passed money to Olmert while the politician was mayor of Jerusalem in the '90s, sources said.

In a highly unusual move, Israeli authorities have barred the country's media from publishing Talansky's name - revealed now in The Post - saying it could hamper their investigation. Israeli media has referred only to the involvement of an "American businessman."

Talansky is apparently set to sing to Israeli authorities about his alleged role in the scheme, sources said.

"It looks serious, and it looks like they have a state witness" in Talansky, one source said.

Talansky - a philanthropist and political contributor to everyone from Rudy Giuliani to Bill Clinton - is in Jerusalem, where he has an apartment, preparing to head to a closed-door court hearing as early as today, sources said.

The 75-year-old was earlier questioned about the alleged scheme almost immediately after arriving in the country for Passover, and he implicated Olmert, sources have said.

It was unclear what the alleged payments to Olmert were for, but sources said they involved hefty amounts of cash.

Talansky repeatedly appears - sometimes under the nickname "The Laundry Man" - in the logs of financial dealings kept by Olmert's longtime aide, Shula Zakan, a source said.

Olmert was grilled by investigators Friday. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

The allegations are only the latest in a string of woes for Olmert, who has battled past charges of government corruption and questionable personal business practices.

"But this time seems very serious, and it seems eventually, we don't know if it will be days, weeks or months, in the end, he may not be able to continue to be prime minister," one source said.

A man answering the phone at Talansky's multimillion-dollar mansion in Woodmere yesterday said, "He's not available."

Talansky lists himself as CEO of the Global Resources Group, a self-described financial-investment firm.

Additional reporting by Kieran Crowley

Let's see; More on Morris...The Huffington Post found that Morris gave $1000 to the Republican party and $0 to the Democrats.

The best take on this so far is from Olmert's people themselves; They claim the investigation and scandal emerged because of the doings of the "enemies of peace" (ie, rightwingers).

Just as Olmert was about to reach a "historic" deal with Syria and the Palestinians, someone has to go ahead and dredge up these silly claims and petty crimes. Currently on YNET in Hebrew...will get it in English soon.

Developing story/scandal.



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Fastest Flip-flop in Israel's History

Thursday, 04.16.08, 1:43 PM

Three IDF soldiers killed in Gaza by Palestinians. Fuel shipments to Gaza, remain frozen.

Israel says it has frozen plans to renew the fuel supply to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday because of an attack in which three soldiers were killed. Army spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibowich says the soldiers were killed Wednesday morning in a battle with Palestinian gunmen who were approaching the terminal where fuel is sent into Gaza.

Leibowich says the attack prompted Israel to cancel plans to resume fuel shipments. Israel cut off the flow of fuel to the Palestinian territory last week after Gaza militants killed two Israelis in an attack on the fuel terminal. (AP)

Oh no! We can't possible stop the fuel supply to Gaza! The Disengagement's promise was that we wouldn't have to provide anything to Gaza anymore. Not fuel, not electricity, not food, nothing.

Yet they continue to shoot missiles and rockets at us, and we finally shut off their fuel supply.

Have no fear, Israel can flip-flop faster than you can say "Israel deserves a better Prime Minister than Ehud Olmert."

50 minutes pass -- 3000 seconds.

Thursday, 04.16.08, 2:33 PM

Israel resumes fuel supply to Gaza...

Despite bloody clashes between IDF troops, Palestinian gunmen earlier on Wednesday, Israel renews supply of fuel, cooking oil to Strip.

Mahmoud Khuzandar, deputy director of the Gaza fuel station owners' association, says a total of eight truckloads of fuel have been pumped into Gaza. He says half was cooking oil and the other half was diesel fuel for Gaza's only power plant.

An Israeli defense official says Israel sent only fuel for the power plant.

Israel cut off the flow of fuel to the Palestinian territory last week after Gaza militants killed two Israelis in an attack on the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, but on Monday Defense Minister Ehud Barak, at Egypt's request, ordered the renewal of diesel shipments to Gaza's power station.

The Israeli military said earlier in the day the terminal would not be reopened because of a Palestinian ambush nearby that left three soldiers dead. It was unclear why the decision was reversed.

The soldiers were killed Wednesday morning in a battle with Palestinian gunmen who were approaching the security fence in an apparent attempt to infiltrate Israel. (YNET/AP)

Don't worry - Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak have it all under control.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

Olmert still Charging...

Despite the Shin Bet, Mossad, IDF military intelligence (and the Muqata blog's) strident warning, Olmert has decided to allow the transfer of 25 armored vehicles, 2 million bullets, and 450 terrorist prisoners to Fatah before the upcoming summit in Annapolis.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has approved the supply of 25 armored vehicles to the Palestinian security organizations in the West Bank, as a "goodwill" gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the Annapolis peace conference.

Olmert's office denied that had authorized the transfer of rifles.

The Prime Minister's Office denied previous reports that Israel would supply 50 armored vehicles and 1,000 rifles to the Palestinians: "Not one rifle was approved."

Russia offered to transfer the armored vehicles to the Palestinian Authority two years ago, but the IDF and the Shin Bet opposed the proposal for fear that the equipment would reach terror organizations.

The objection grew stronger after Hamas took over the Gaza Strip.

According to diplomatic sources in Jerusalem, the prime minister decided to agree to the offer several days before the US-sponsored summit, and to allow the Palestinian president to receive the armored vehicles, the weapons and the ammunition. It is unclear when the equipment will be transferred to the PA.

Security sources still believe that this is a dangerous move. Although the armored vehicles are considered defensive rather than offensive equipment, weapons transferred through official channels have been known to reach Hamas in the past. YNET

Why worry about reaching Hamas?

It's Fatah who's doing the killing! (see yesterday's post)



Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

Spin Doctors target Israel's Right.

Today's Maariv headline screams the following:

Due to the upcoming [Annapolis] Summit, The Shabak [Israel's secret police] is worried:

TIGHTENING SECURITY: INCREASED THREATS AGAINST THE PRIME MINISTER'S LIFE.

This is classic Israeli spin. PM Olmert's popularity is rather low, the Annapolis summit looks like a dud, the Palestinians are refusing to even acknowledge the right to exist of a Jewish State, so what's a Prime Minister to do?

Coming on the heels of Rabin's 12 year memorial, these "threats" against Olmert are allegedly coming from the "right wing." The media has banged into everyone's head that "words kill", and take every effort to remind us that any criticism towards Rabin is deadly -- after all, that's why he was killed -- because of vocal criticism. (Go on over and read David Von Treppenwitz's excellent posting incitement on this subject as well.)

Unfortunately, Maariv is too busy condemning the right wing than to edit their own paper. On page 2 of Maariv is the following headline as well: Knife Fight !!! (thanks YB)

No, the knife fight isn't between the right wing and Ehud Olmert.

Rather this potentially bloody battle is between Olmert and Defense Minister Barak.

Perhaps someone should tell the Shabak where to look if they want to protect Olmert.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael