Netanyahu mystery trip sets off flap in Israel

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

Source: AP

By JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press Writer Josef Federman, Associated Press Writer – 47 mins ago

JERUSALEM – Benjamin Netanyahu dropped out of sight for most of a day this week, a mysterious absence that has set off feverish speculation about what the Israeli leader was up to — and accusations he lied to cover up a clandestine trip to Moscow.

After initially issuing a vague statement about visiting a top-secret Mossad installation inside Israel, Netanyahu kept silent Thursday as reports emerged that he flew to Moscow aboard a private jet for urgent talks on Iran.

According to various accounts, the Israeli prime minister was either pushing the Russians to halt arms sales to Iran, or warning of an impending strike against Iranian nuclear facilities or discussing the recent disappearance of a Russian-crewed freighter.

A shifting story line from Netanyahu's office and then silence have enraged the local media, which branded the prime minister a liar and painted his office as a chaotic scene of rivalries and disarray.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090911/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_netanyahu_mystery

[tanyev]

1. Did anyone check the Appalachian Trail?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. Well on his return he wouldn't stop talking about The Tango. So that's a clue right there. nt

[Arrowhead2k1]

4. Or Hotel reservations in Argentina?

[Yavin4]

2. Check for Flights to Argentina

Whenever a leader goes missing, this is the first thing that one should do.

[DJ13]

5. Damn, she gets around!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. Ha! Same time.

:evilgrin:

[Crowman1979]

7. Netanyahu has committed adultery before.

So I won't be surprised if he did it again.

[mackerel]

8. ROTFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ghost Dog]

9. YNet: Russian report: Netanyahu may be planning attack

PM's rushed visit to Moscow under cloud of secrecy occupies Russian media. Kommersant paper quotes 'informed Israeli' source as saying 'It can't be ruled out that Israel may be ready to move on to decisive actions with regards to Iran, and Netanyahu decided to inform Kremlin of this'

Olga Gouresky
Published: 09.10.09, 14:16 / Israel News

Russian media on Thursday continued to cover Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's mysterious visit to Moscow, that was leaked to the media from his office.

Kommersant newspaper quoted "experts" as saying they believe a visit of this kind could have stemmed from urgent circumstances, "for example, in the event that Israel plans to attack Iran".

...

At first, Moscow denied a visit ever took place, but after Netanyahu's office was forced to admit to the PM's Military Secretary Meir Kalifi's lie, a senior Kremlin source also confirmed to Kommersant that the Israeli prime minister did indeed visit the city.

...

The paper then quoted what it called an "informed" Israeli source, who wished to remain anonymous, as saying, "Such a visit could be related to new information and could threaten the Iranian nuclear program. It should not be ruled out that Israel may be ready to move on to decisive actions with regards to Iran, and Netanyahu has decided to inform the Kremlin of this."

/... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3775025,00.html


See also Guardian report: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/11/netanyahu-missiles-iran-israel-russia


... I note such intelligent comment in this thread so far ...

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. I wouldn't be surprised. nt