It appears that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is seeking to do as much damage as possible during his last days in office.
 
During Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting, the prime minister’s plan to halt Russian weapons sales to Syria will be discussed. In keeping inline with Olmert’s policies, his plan calls for additional Israeli concessions, this time, real estate in the heart of downtown Yerushalayim. The plan enjoys the support of Olmert’s replacement, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, a close Olmert confidant, and Justice Minister Daniel Friedman.
 
Ahead of his planned trip to Russia on Monday, the prime minister hopes to have a good-will gesture in hand for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Mr. Olmert plans to offer the property known as Sergey’s Courtyard in exchange for Russian guarantees to halt all weapons sales to Syria.
 
The property is estimated to be worth NIS 11 million, and it was Russian owned before Moscow cut diplomatic ties with Israel following the 1967 Six Day War. Today, it is home to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel and the National Parks Authority.
 
In truth, the deal preceded the Olmert administration, dating back to 1990, when the then-USSR reached the deal to re-acquire the property. After the USSR broke apart, the deal was never actualized.
 
According to the Land of Israel Legal Forum organization, the current transition government does not have the authority to hand over the property.
 
In the Legal Forum’s letter sent to government officials, it points out that such a decision is no less important than appointing a Supreme Court judge, referring to the recent decision by Supreme Court President Justice Dorit Beinish to block a new appointment during the period of a transition government.
 
The letter adds it is “irresponsible” to actualize the deal now, which will leave the next government to deal with the result of the decision, adding Russia has no “regional interests but has imperial aspirations.”
 
The nature society appealed the decision, fearing it would lose its lease, but the appeal was rejected.
 
From the prime minister’s viewpoint, the move would be a “gift” from Israel, another “goodwill gesture”.
 
During his meetings in Russia, the prime minister is expected to address a number of alarming issues, including the continued sale of advanced weaponry to Syria by Russia and another round of economic sanctions against Iran.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)