First items of Olmerts next "probe" + IDF kills One + PA kills One

Thema des Tages in Israel hätte eigentlich der offizielle Start der Feierlichkeiten zum 60ten Israels mit einem "memorial service for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism" sein können. Bekanntlich Geschmackssache. Leider versauen unverschämte Pamphlete aus der paranoiden Blödheini-Ecke die Show und selbstverständlich ein Korruptionsskandal über den man in Israel nicht berichten darf, im Rest der Welt hingegen schon: A Long Island philanthropist and fundraiser for Israeli charities is at the center of an enveloping scandal around Israel’s prime minister, Ehud Olmert, that has riveted and agitated Israel despite a veil of secrecy over the ongoing investigation. The man, Morris Talansky, 75, was apparently approached by the Israeli authorities when he arrived at the Tel Aviv airport expecting to spend Passover with his daughter and son, who live in Jerusalem. It is unclear if Mr. Talansky is only a witness or also a suspect in the case. [Die erste Zeitung die darüber berichtete.] Rowan Berkeley: Apparently, Talansky repeatedly appears, sometimes under the nickname “the laundryman,” in the logs of financial dealings kept by Olmert’s long-time aide, Shula Zaken. [More info on Shula Zaken and Sources close to Olmert posited Monday night that the prime minister is not likely to be investigated in the affair. According to them, there's no information tying Olmert, in his former role as finance minister, to the indictments against senior Tax Authority officials. Likewise, they say, there is no evidence against Zaken, who is suspected, among other transgressions, of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and granting tax benefits to cronies.] Da mir der weitere Hergang der Affaire um Shula Zaken unbekannt ist und ich kein Urteil kenne wird ein deal zwischen Staatsanwaltschaft und "Büroleiterin" die wahrscheinlichste Variante sein. Momentan sieht die Geschichte nach einem isolierten Likud-Korruptionsskandal aus, dies würde also nur bedeuten das Olmert zurücktreten müßte, falls sich die Vorwürfe erhärten. Auf einem anderen Blatt steht das Drama um die Veröffentlichung der Ermittlungsergebnisse, das wahrlich kaum mit demokratischen Gepflogenheiten übereinstimmt. Police said Tuesday that leaks coming from the foreign media regarding the ongoing criminal investigation into Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "undermined" the gag order on the case and rendered it "losing its significance." Earlier Tuesday, State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said that the sweeping gag order, placed Friday on all details surrounding the case, would not be lifted before Independence Day, which begins Wednesday night and ends 24 hours later. "This is an investigation in which any assumption by the public would be incorrect and unsubstantiated," Lador said. "In recent days, inaccurate information has been reported and it is misleading the public. It's a shame." Lador, who spoke to reporters at a press conference at the Jerusalem District Court, commented on the hearing held in the court over the state's request to question a foreign national over the affair. Earlier Tuesday, the court allowed the publication of the fact that a request has been made for a foreign national's preliminary testimony in connection to the probe into Olmert. [Immerhin, Lador den ich hier ja schon lobte zeigt sich prinzipienfest: Lador said criminal cases should be more rigorously dealt in the legal arena, and not left up to public opinion, as is often customary. Das Zurückhalten von Informationen und vor allem Namen ist jedoch gerade im Fall des Premiers eher schädlich, da die Zeit genutzt werden kann um politischen Einfluß auf Ermittler und sonstige Personen auszuüben. Justice Daniel Beeri ruled that the order will remain in effect until it expires on Sunday. Unmöglich. Außerdem hat doch die Öffentlichkeit nicht das Verhör des PM und die Verhaftung von Talansky angeordnet und schon gar nicht den Zeitpunkt bestimmt.] Kommentar: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert knows why he is being questioned under caution in a new case. The same is true of his former office manager, Shula Zaken, who has been under investigation almost incessantly. It is also true of their lawyers, the prosecution, journalists and others in the know, including foreign sources. Only the general public remains in the dark, due to a sweeping gag order that conceals even the tiniest detail, such as the nature of the crime of which the premier is suspected. Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court Judge Daniel Beeri was persuaded Tuesday that limiting this comprehensive gag order in any way would cause "real damage to the investigation." But it is very hard to accept this conclusion, given that the principal suspects already have been interrogated and rumors are flooding the country. [...] Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday asserted that the latest criminal probe into Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would not affect his political moves, as well stating that he hoped there was no foundation to suspicions against him. "We are all against corruption. I trust the law [enforcement] authorities and the police. I do not imagine that Olmert is influenced by the investigations carried out against him when he makes critical political decisions," the defense minister said. [...] A senior Palestinian official told Haaretz on Tuesday that "as of now there is no Israeli partner for talks on a final status agreements in light of the continuing investigation against [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert." The official said the Palestinian Authority understands that the most recent allegations against Olmert are more serious than those in years past, raising the likelihood that the negotiations would be frozen until the end of the judicial process. "Our problem is that we also have no partner in Washington." + A senior Palestinian source told Ynet: “We are concerned that everything that happens now between Israel and us will be useless and a waste of time.” Aussitzen.

Daphna Golan, "From darkness into the ligth": Again we celebrated the holiday of freedom while Gilad Shalit remained in captivity. We spoke of going from darkness into a great light, but left the talks about releasing the abducted soldiers in the dark. We have become accustomed to let our future depend on Shin Bet people who negotiate covertly, and we have stopped asking what we could do to release the abducted soldiers. Why not talk with all our neighbors, Hamas, Fatah and Hezbollah, the presidents of Syria and Egypt and the Arab states, about releasing the abducted soldiers, about stopping the Qassam fire, about reconciliation? [Es gibt im Übrigen zum Geburtstag und zum gestrigen Memorial Day sicherlich zwei Dutzend hervorragender Artikel die hier nicht alle gezeigt werden können. Als Trostpflaster noch den von Roni Singer-Heruti.]

Die Fronten halten sich mäßig zurück.In der Nähe von Beit Lahia kommt bei einem Luftangriff ein Hamasnik ums Leben und drei weitere werden verletzt. Ein kleineres Gefecht vor Jabalia, zwei Mörsergranaten auf den Sufa-Crossing. In der Westbank werden vor der kompletten Abriegelung der Territorien noch vier Personen durch die IDF und zwei Personen durch die PA verhaftet. [...] Israeli authorities approved a portion of the list of Palestinian refugees seeking to be reunified with their families living in the Palestinian territories, according to Hussein Ash-Sheikh, the head of the Palestinian Authority's Civil Liaison Department on Tuesday. The list includes the names of ten thousand individuals who are currently living as refugees in countries such as Lebanon and Jordan and are seeking to return to the Palestinian territories in order to be reunited with their families. [...] Reuters-Übersicht: Olmert and Abbas: the distance between them [...] A Palestinian civilian was killed on Tuesday when President Mahmoud Abbas's security forces clashed with militants for the first time since launching a law-and-order push in the northern West Bank. Islamic Jihad said two of its fighters were hurt when clashes broke out between gunmen and security forces trying to assert control in the small town of Qabatya, a Palestinian militant stronghold near the city of Jenin.