Israel Arrests 10 Hamas Leaders

(AP)  Israel rounded up 10 Hamas leaders in the West Bank early Thursday, two days after indirect talks between Israel and the Islamic militant group on a prisoner swap broke down.

Among those detained were four Hamas lawmakers, a university professor and a former Hamas deputy prime minister.

The Israeli military said in a statement that those arrested were involved in "restoring the Hamas administrative branch." Hamas in the West Bank has been the target of a crackdown by Israel and the security forces of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the past two years, ever since the militants seized Gaza by force.

The detentions appear to be an attempt to pressure the group after the failure of recent efforts to win the release of an Israeli soldier, Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who is being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Ahmed Bahar, a Hamas leader in Gaza, denounced the arrests as "immoral blackmail by the Zionist occupation."

Israel has detained dozens of Hamas politicians in the West Bank on various occasions following the capture of Schalit, 22, in a cross-border raid in June 2006.

The detainees in the latest raid include Nasser Shaer, a former Palestinian deputy prime minister, and four Hamas lawmakers. Some have already been detained in the past and released.

Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had hoped to secure the release of Schalit before a new Israeli government is formed, possibly within days. To that end, he dispatched two senior envoys to Cairo over the weekend to try to clinch an Egyptian-brokered deal with Hamas, which rules Gaza and has no direct ties with Israel.

But the envoys returned to Israel without a deal in hand, and on Tuesday Olmert declared that Israel would not free all of the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners the Islamic militants demanded in exchange.

Some were involved in attacks that killed dozens of Israelis, and Olmert insisted that there were "red lines" that Israel "will not cross."

Incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to partner with hawkish parties in Israel's new government, has not commented on the failed release efforts or how he plans to deal with Schalit's case.

The failure of the prisoner swap talks threatens to set off a long chain reaction of setbacks. Israel has vowed not to lift its crushing blockade of impoverished Gaza until Schalit is returned home. That could seriously impede reconstruction there after Israel's recent military offensive because building materials and equipment won't be able to enter the territory, home to 1.4 million Palestinians.

The continued blockade could also hamper efforts to cement a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, which in turn would carry the threat of a sudden escalation in the low-level violence that has continued since the war ended on Jan. 18.

On Wednesday, Schalit's father, Noam, blamed Olmert for failing to free his son and said the family would dismantle a protest tent it set up outside Olmert's residence on Saturday - 1,000 days since the serviceman was captured.

[cbsantispin]

cbsantispin, you seem deranged. Have you considered therapy?

Posted by realitycalls at 4:36 AM : Mar 21, 2009

Maybe all of us are deranged, how do you define "normal" without someone challenging your definition and offering their own? All I can do is pray hard and hope God forgives my sins and lets me enter Heaven. Peace.

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 5:36 PM : Mar 20, 2009

I see you want to keep this dialog going! You don't know when to quit! You keep changing the subject and not addressing my previous Post! Who is losing the "focus" now? You!! LOL I didn't mention anything about the Jewish culture, you keep mentioning Jews, not me, you keep bringing up Jews and Israel being a multicultural nation, maybe its you who have a Jew thing, check your Post with me. Since you bring up Jews in this dialog, many do think Hitler's criticism of the Jews was right on, only his solution and how he handled it was wrong, not the criticism! I know what my country is about and I know what Israel is about, both nations are night and day different. Can you handle the truth? You sure you want to go there Jew baiter?

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 4:43 PM : Mar 20, 2009

Sorry to burst your bubble, I'm 100% American, born and raised in the United States, take your sick Post and get lost Israeli kiss a s s loser! You can have the last word.

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 12:30 PM : Mar 20, 2009

The United States can do without Israel and writing Israel that $3 billion a year welfare check. I support Israel because its my governments official policy to do so, I could just as easily not support Israel too! The U.S. bends over backwards supporting Israel despite the fact that Israel acts like an out of control 2 year old and continues to stab the U.S. in the back, continues to bite the hand that feeds it as in the case of Israeli Spy Jonathan Jay Pollard, who was caught red handed on Surveillance Video in the act of stealing classified documents and passing them to Israel. I'm sure Israel has many Jonathan Pollard's active and spying inside the United States. I hope Pollard rots in jail forever, Israel continues to lobby for his release, I wonder why, so he can get a hero's welcome in Israel? if we mention Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, its your moral case that sinks into the Mediterranean, not mine! The U.S. can do without high maintenance, always needs a U.N. Veto Israel, can Israel do with out U.S.? Lets see? Go Away!

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 9:59 AM : Mar 20, 2009

Israel made the same mistake former Pres. Bush made after the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., and that is squandering and throwing away Worldwide sympathy and support by implementing an out of proportion and heavy handed response. Israel's response to attacks are so out of proportion against the Palestinians that few if any see the negative Palestinian actions against Israel because everyone is overwhelmed and blinded by Israeli counter atrocities. Few are understanding, supportive and sympathetic to the Israeli cause. Israel is perceived as the bad guy now, the criminal, not Hamas, Hezbollah and the extremist Palestinians. Israel has lost the public opinion and public relations game and may never get it back! Israel, whether its accurate or not is now perceived as using the slightest Palestinian or Hamas attack no matter how trivial as a license for a brutal out of proportion response where Israeli responses and actions don't match the crime! Your sick and disgustingly loyal support for Israel no matter what Israel does by using adverse actions of the Palestrinians and Hamas is a part of the problem and a serious obstacle to correcting Israeli bad behavior.

[cbsantispin]

rogue cops in a neighborhood???

Let's not pretend that you were looking the other way???

Posted by realitycalls at 8:03 AM : Mar 20, 2009

The United States has been more than fair with Israel, looking the other way while Israel crossed the line repeatedly killing Palestinian civilians in the name of going after terrorist. The images of dead Palestinian children at the hands of the Israeli killing machine are not fake! The issues are larger than trying to dismiss them as Israeli rogue cops misbehaving in a neighborhood, rogue cops didn't bomb the USS Liberty killing Americans which Israel has yet to fully explain or atone for. Like I said, I support Israel but this discussion should end here, I don't want to go there. You take care.

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 5:00 AM : Mar 20, 2009

It's a classic tactic during blog debates for the losing side to start attacking the winning blogger personally, the loser no longer able or willing to defend or discuss losing points, I think that's where we are now! LOL

[cbsantispin]

The whole World is on to Israeli games now. Posted by cbsantispin

1) narcissistic: inordinate fascination with oneself;
2) histrionic: deliberately affected or self-consciously emotional;
3) antisocial: opposed or detrimental to social order or the principles on which society is constituted;
4) all of the above? ?

Posted by realitycalls at 5:00 AM : Mar 20, 2009

1) Nostalgic Israeli a s s kisser
2) Failure to accept Israel's technology advantage is waning
3) Failure to appreciate America's frustration with arrogant/stubborn Israel
4) All of the above??

[cbsantispin]

If they weren't the closest thing to civilization the region, people might sympathize with your argument. The fact that every political group within striking distance of Israel is essentially criminal, mediaeval, racist, sexist, homophobic ...

Bah. It doesn't make an impression, does it?

Posted by realitycalls at 9:07 PM : Mar 19, 2009

The whole World is on to Israeli games now, on to Israeli excuses, on to Israel sabotaging the peace process every time a peace deal gets close! The World wants peace in the Middle East, the World wants the Palestinians to have a State, for Israel to stop building Settlements in occupied territories and for Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, dragging the U.S. into a 3rd war front. Israel has run out of support for its arguments and political positions, its time for Israel to get this peace process moving and completed. Time has run out for Israel's point of view, the World is tired now and wants to move on and try a different approach. Israel's continued resistance and opposition will lead to a solution being forced and pushed down Israel's throat. It may not seem like it but I actually support Israel and if I feel this way, you can imagine how those who don't support Israel feel. It's time for Israel to get it done, no more delaying tactics!

[cbsantispin]

Posted by realitycalls at 1:14 PM : Mar 19, 2009

The U.S. does not need to agree with and support everything Israel does. Israel's dodo stinks like everyone elses. Every time someone criticizes Israel, it does not automatically make them an Osama bin Laden sympathizer. Israel is not above criticism and is not entitled to $4 billion in annual U.S. Aid no matter what Israel does, no matter what International Laws Israel breaks and no matter what crimes Israel may commit or U.N. reolutions Israel ignores! If the United States does not agree with Israeli policies then the U.S. should not financially, militarily or politically support Israel until Israel gets with the program!