Shlomi Eldar and Ruth Yuval in Haaretz: ‘A week and a half before October 7, 2023 the Emirati ruler called Netanyahu from the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi and spoke with him for 45 minutes. In that conversation, bin Zayed warned that Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was planning a major operation against Israel.’ And: ‘An Israeli security source involved in preparing the talks confirms that "by the end of August 2023, Netanyahu approved the release of 30 prisoners, including 20 serving life sentences, to be chosen by the Shin Bet."’ As well: ‘"The basic problem was that Hamas was looking for a 'permanent end to the conflict,' as they called it," concludes William J. Burns, the former CIA director, in his characteristically measured manner.’

The “permanent end” may have been just another metaphor.

But anyhow, Bibi was definitely not interested in permanent ends.

(a sf 2229)