Palestinian terror continues; prisoner release on schedule

It’s a good thing that the IDF is pulling back on getting Palestinian terrorists. Because it’s obvious that the Palestinians are giving up terror. Well, if by “giving up terror” you mean “business as usual.”

IDF troops discovered a five-kilogram bomb and arrested five Palestinians next to Ramallah on Wednesday.

IDF sappers defused the devise and the Palestinians were transferred for security interrogations.

Ramallah, Ramallah, Ramallah… gee, what’s Ramallah’s importance to the Palestinians?

Oh, right. It’s the home of their government. The place where they complain that Israel isn’t releasing terrorists fast enough.

Ziad Abu Ein, director-general of the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees, said the Palestinians should “not be overjoyed” with the expected release of 250 prisoners on Friday.

“Since (Israeli Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert announced at Sharm el-Sheik that he would release the prisoners, Israel has detained 326 Palestinians,” he said. “This sort of attitude attitude invites extremism, instead of an attitude that will build a bridge for renewed understanding and trust between the nations.”

According to Abu Ein, some 11,000 Palestinians are still being held in Israeli jails, including 431 minors and 127 women.

“We hoped the Israelis would take the feelings of the Palestinian prisoners and their families into consideration and act with the aim of restoring the Palestinian public’s faith in the peace process,” he said.

Yes, it’s all about restoring the Palestinians’ faith in the peace process. Because they’re such a peaceful people.

An IDF outpost near Nablus came under gunfire Wednesday afternoon.

None of the soldiers were wounded, according to Army Radio.

And of course, there’s the inevitable nightly terrorist roundup:

IDF troops arrested 16 Palestinian terror suspects in the West Bank overnight Tuesday.

Ten of the detainees were arrested in Ramallah, while three were arrested in Bethlehem and another three in Hebron.

This is what Fatah wants to stop. Not the terror. The arrests. It’s the same-old, same-old. It’s not Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat any more. The players have changed. But the game is still the same, and it simply astonishes me that Israel falls for it. Every. Single. Time.