Israel PM's family link to Hamas peace bid

[bemildred]

Hamas, the militant Palestinian organisation, attempted to conduct secret talks with the Israeli leadership in the protracted run-up to the recent war in Gaza - with messages being passed from the group at one stage through a member of prime minister Ehud Olmert's family.

Confirmation of attempts to establish a direct line of communication between Hamas and Israel - and the willingness of senior figures in Hamas to contemplate direct negotiations - fundamentally alters the narrative of the build-up to the war in Gaza which claimed more than 1,300 Palestinian lives and led to about a dozen Israeli deaths.

Most remarkable is the story of the involvement of a member of the prime minister's family in the passing of messages to Olmert about the case of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Although the Observer is aware of the identity of the family member and full details of the role played, it has agreed to protect anonymity. Gershon Baskin, a veteran Israel peace activist, was at the centre of attempts to open negotiations. Baskin was in touch with senior members of Hamas, Israeli officials and Olmert, via the member of his family.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/01/israel-hamas-olmert-palestine-shalit

[geek tragedy]

1. Goodbye to all that.

Israel decided it had had enough of that dirty effing hippy Olmert.

[Idealism]

2. Is saying "I told you so" wrong, about Israel and Hamas covertly negotiating?

Because if it is, I don't want to be right!