Israeli Incursion into Ramallah

Photo via L'Orient-Le Jour

I've been reading many reports that Israel is attempting to shore up President Abbas against Hamas. So today's raid on a Fatah-dominated West Bank city is completely incomprehensible and typically brutal. The fact that it occurred while Olmert was holding talks with Abbas and Hosni Mubarek in Sharm al-Sheik makes the action even more questionable.

BTW, I've been reading that the Israeli Defense Ministry is in revolt and is not taking orders from the Prime Minister's Office as Olmert's popularity in opinion polls takes a nosedive. So quite possibly the Tsahal action was meant to embarrass the Kadima government.

Here's a piece of the story from L'Orient-Le Jour:

Four Palestinians were killed on Thursday and at least 20 wounded during a large-scale incursion by the Israeli Army into downtown Ramallah. Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, criticized by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who was in Sharm al-Sheikh to receive him, declared his regret at the loss of "innocent life"….Mubarak condemned “recourse to military action”…The two men seem out of-phase if not in complete disagreement. Mubarek refused to propose to step up security on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip...and was evasive on the subject of Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants….

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Abbas, who denounced the bloody incursion, declared that “the operation is proof that Israeli calls for peace and security are lies”. A source close to Mr. Abbas told AFP that he demanded $5 million in damages from Israel.