1. Israel Could Kidnap Ahmadinejad by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz 
Pensioners Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan, who commanded the 1960 Mossad operation to capture fugitive Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, says the kidnapping of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a distinct possibility. In an interview with Christoph Schult of this week's edition of the respected German magazine Der Spiegel, the former Israeli intelligence agent said that while there are no more covert Israeli missions targeting old Nazis, "that's not to say that such operations are completely a thing of the past." Schult: "What do you mean by that?" Eitan: "It could very well be that a leader such as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suddenly finds himself before the International Criminal Court in The Hague." Schult: "Do you mean that seriously?" Eitan: "Absolutely. Those who spread poison and want to eradicate another people [have] to expect such consequences." Eitan's statement is all the more provocative as it was offered without prodding at the end of an interview focusing on the Minister's recent revelation that his team in Argentina in 1960 decided against abducting notorious Auschwitz sadist, Dr. Josef Mengele, the "Angel of Death". His agents discovered that Mengele was also in Beunos Aires after they had already apprehended Eichmann and were preparing to bundle him off to Israel for trial. Eichmann was subsequently tried and sentenced to death by an Israeli court for crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people and membership in an outlawed organization. He was executed in May 1962 and his ashes were scattered in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 'It Wasn't About Revenge' When asked why he chose not to nab Mengele after the capture of Eichmann, Eitan replied, "There were just 11 of us and we had our hands full dealing with Eichmann." Then-Mossad chief Isser Harel wanted Mengele, too, Eitan added. "I refused because I didn't want to endanger the success of the Eichmann operation." The Mossad commander said that his team wanted to return to Buenos Aires after bringing Eichmann to Jerusalem in order to capture Mengele, as well. "But due to a leak, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion had to make an official announcement about our success. When our agents returned to Argentina, Mengele had moved out of his apartment and gone underground," Eitan revealed. The Der Spiegel interview also shed some light on the policy decision that ended with the apprehending of Adolf Eichmann. "In 1958, we resolved to capture a former Nazi and bring him to justice in Israel," Eitan explained. "Possible targets included Mengele, Eichmann, the former head of the Gestapo Heinrich Muller, and Hitler's right-hand man Martin Bormann. The first one we could find was Eichmann, so we concentrated on him." When the interviewer noted that Israel has in fact carried out assassinations of fugitive Nazis, Eitan said, "There were such operations, but I was against them. Criminals have to answer for their crimes before a court of law." Following his service in the Mossad, Rafi Eitan served as an advisor on terrorism to Prime Minister Menachem Begin and later headed the now-defunct Bureau of Scientific Relations, an intelligence agency focused on obtaining secret technologies. Eitan resigned his post following the capture of Jonathan Pollard, a former US Navy Intelligence Research Specialist who has been behind bars in the United States since 1986 for passing classified information to Israel.  2. Police Say Indict Olmert's Aidesby Hana Levi Julian  Police investigators from the National Fraud Unit recommended on Monday morning that the Attorney General indict attorney Uri Messer and former Olmert bureau chief Shula Zaken, in addition to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in several of the corruption cases involving the prime minister. Messer, a long-time friend, former law partner and attorney for Olmert, is suspected of helping the prime minister receive bribes in cash-stuffed envelopes in a case which has been dubbed the 'Talansky affair'. Police provided the state prosecution with a detailed account of how Messer managed the funds given to Olmert by American businessman and philanthropist Moshe (Morris) Talansky, most of which came in the form of cash-stuffed envelopes. The flow of information stopped abruptly approximately three months ago when Messer suddenly stopped cooperating with police, angry about leaks to the media. His attorney, Tzvi Agmon, said he respected the investigators and their efforts but denied the allegations, saying "they sometimes err, as in this case," according to Voice of Israel government radio. Zaken's attorney, Micha Fetman, also denied any guilt on the part of his client, saying there was no evidence to support any charges that might be filed. However, the attorney did not rule out a possibility that Zaken might consider turning state's witness in exchange for a plea bargain deal. In addition, they recommended that Zaken be charged for her part in helping Olmert receive the bribes and transferring the money back and forth from the vault and from Messer. Charges against her would include conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud, breach of public trust and money-laundering. Police also recommended Messer be indicted in connection with the Rishon Tours affair, in which Olmert is suspected of double-billing the travel agency for private trips for his family. Investigators allege that the prime minister had double-billed charities and at least one government ministry for airline flights and other travel expenses, using false receipts to pay for private family travel expenses. The organizations allegedly defrauded by the prime minister included:
Investigators included Zaken in recommendations for indictment in the Rishon Tours affairs as well, saying she should also be charged for her role in the fraudulent receipt of goods under aggravated circumstances and breach of public trust. A third investigation into a case known as the "Investment Center allegations" is not yet complete. Zaken and Messer have both been implicated, said police, but recommendations for charges against them in this case have not yet been submitted. Olmert is suspected of having invested large state investment funds with a company represented by Messer. The police findings are to be transferred to the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office. Eli Abarbanel, district attorney for criminal affairs, is expected to review the material and submit his recommendation as to whether to indict the prime minister, and/or attorney Messer, to State's Attorney Moshe Lador. Lador will submit his final recommendation to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz as to whether or not to indict Olmert, Messer and/or Zaken. The final decision on all three will be made by Mazuz. 3. Israeli Salaries & Employment Upby Malkah Fleisher  The average gross national salary rose to NIS 8,448 (about $2,350) per month in June from NIS 8,072 in May, according to a Central Bureau of Statistics report on Sunday. For the first half of the year, the average gross national salary was NIS 8,120, up 1.4% as compared to the first half of 2007. Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) and Mekorot water company employees topped the salary rankings in June, with an average salary of NIS 19,573. The average salary of financial sector employees rose by 4.6% in the first half, compared with the second half of 2007 - the highest gain of any sector. The number of Israeli wage-earners rose by 0.7% in the first half of 2008, with the financial sector again recording the largest increase, with a rise in employment by 3.4%. The average monthly household expenditure was NIS 11,584 in 2007, 3.5 percent more than in 2006, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics on Monday. A quarter of household expenditure by the poorest 20 percent of the population is for food, while a quarter of household expenditure by the top 20 percent of the population is for transportation and communications. More Israelis own mobile phones than landlines, according to the Monday report. Between 1997 and 2007, the proportion of households with an Internet connection rose from 5% to 59%, and the proportion of households with at least two mobile telephones rose from 7% to 64%. 4. Abbas Spins Good Will as 'Weak'by Hana Levi Julian  The government’s release of almost 200 Palestinian Authority terrorists, two of whom had “blood on their hands” from the actual murders of Jews, backfired, according to a report by media watchdog organization, the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). The latest “good will gesture” by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, meant to “strengthen the negotiations” in final status talks, simply led to an enhanced image of a weakened Jewish State, said PMW. In its September 2 bulletin, the organization said PA Arabs are being fed media images that released terrorists, many of whom attempted to murder Jews, are heroes. Their release was seen as a sign of submission, rather than a gesture of good will, said PMW, adding that it was also seen as a precedent for the future release of all PA terrorists held in Israeli jails – including 3,450 terrorists who were convicted of murder. It noted that the chairman of the Palestinian National Council said on PA TV on August 25, “The Palestinian leadership has managed to secure a Palestinian victory for the Palestinian people by breaking down Israeli conditions and by forcing Israel to abandon the idea it has attempted to entrench according to which some prisoners have blood on their hands… [ie: sentenced to life for murder]” A day later, the Al-Ayyam newspaper wrote, “Hajj Mahmoud Issa Amaira, who is nearing 60, said: ‘The entire people should welcome al-Utbah and Abu Ali Yatta [released terrorist murderers] today, for they are proof to us that prison walls do not close forever on anyone.’ … “Bethlehem resident al-Uzzah, who was herself released from prison a year ago, said, ‘There is no comparison to our celebration today, following the release of Sa’id al-Utbah and Abu Ali Yattah. Israel’s so-called red lines are imaginary and a thing of the past.’” Mixed Messages and Outright Lies As far back as 2006, Abbas lied to the international world in his courteous English-language speeches, while delivering fiery anti-Israel rhetoric in his native Arabic. [video:123412] A PMW video clip of a speech by Abbas on October 3, 2006 documents one such instance in which Abbas told the Arab world on Al-Arabiya satellite TV that not only did the Hamas terror organization not have to recognize the State of Israel – neither did his own Fatah faction. The next day he told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice he had demanded that Hamas recognize Israel. 5. Fight for the Russian Compound by Hana Levi Julian  The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel is hoping it will have enough time to file its petition in Supreme Court before Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni signs away Israel's right to the 'Sergei Compound,' warned the group's program coordinator, Einat Korman, on Monday. The Forum charged Monday that a troika of ministers has been working to complete the deal with the Korman said her group had hoped that last week's meeting with the Knesset State Control Committee would put the brakes on Livni, Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Committee chairman Michael Eitan (Likud) had called state officials and Livni, said Korman, "to stop any progress in this negotiation until this issue is dealt with in the Knesset and Supreme Court." She said the Legal Forum plans to file its petition within the next week to block the government's transfer of property rights to the However, she said, the effort may have come too late. Decision Made Long Ago "What we know now is that they didn't really stop, and we are afraid they will conclude this arrangement in the next week or two," said Korman. "What [the committee chairman] says is just a recommendation and the government doesn't have to follow it. The government does what it pleases," she added. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Chayat confirmed that the negotiations have indeed been concluded, and that all that remains is for Minister Livni's signature to grace the dotted line. However, he told Israel National News, Livni is not yet ready to sign, because "she is waiting for the committee's recommendation [to be published], even though the Knesset has no legal standing in that decision." Chayat admitted that the three ministers, along with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, had indeed approved the transfer of ownership some time ago. He also acknowledged that the move was made unilaterally, without a Cabinet vote, adding that none was needed. "Actually, the finance minister is in charge of government properties and he can decide to give up an Israeli government property without having the government and the Knesset authorize it. It is part of his powers. That decision can be made solely by the finance minister," he explained. Any appeal by the Legal Forum, he said, would be irrelevant. "They have no grounds," Chayat said. "If there is an appeal to the Supreme Court, the foreign minister will wait for the Supreme Court to decide, obviously. But we know that the court cannot decide otherwise in any case, because the finance minister has the authority to make this decision alone." 'The Compound Belongs to There is apparently no dispute over whether the property belongs to Russia; it does, in the same way "as the Catholic churches in eastern Jerusalem belong to the Vatican, and the American Consulate property belongs to the United States," explained Chayat. The property was bought at the end of the 19th century by organizations related to the Russian Orthodox Church, according to a brief published by the Legal Forum, and used for the needs of Russian pilgrims who came to the The "Sergei Compound" was owned by Great Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the uncle of the Tzar Nicolai II in his capacity as the chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society. (IOPS) After the October Revolution, the Soviet government of the Since 1952, the Israeli General Guardian has had formal legal guardianship and ownership rights to the property. At the beginning of the 1970's, the buildings were leased to the Israel Nature Protection Society and the Ministry of Agriculture. When diplomatic relations were re-established between In 2005, then-Prime Minister Ariel In 2007, Allowing According to Chayat, the decision to transfer the property to " Legal Forum attorney Yitzchak Bam sees it differently. "Another stupidity of the government; there's no other way to describe it," he said bluntly. But both Chayat and Bam agree that if and when the transfer takes place, any security access to the property that Israel might have, will come at a very high price. "According to international law, there is a legal right to go into any embassy," acknowledged Chayat. "It's not done, but you can, of course, arrest a diplomat if he does something wrong. However, any government should take into consideration that the sovereign nation whose diplomat it arrests, or whose embassy it enters without permission, may also do the same in its own country." Bam concurs. "Officially, they will be able to enter. Unofficially, they might not. In fact, they don't do that, even though legally they can. Every such move will have diplomatic consequences with De facto, they will be pretty immune there." Whether the current tenants of the building will be able to remain there and what rights they might have, is another matter. According to Korman added that the move would bolster Russian imperial aspirations in the Both she and Bam underscored the group's belief that the move "will not improve relations with |
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
ISRAEL up date.
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