Olmert: Coalition partners must back withdrawals

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that any party wishing to join a coalition government headed by Kadima after the March 28 elections must support his plan for further withdrawals in the West Bank.

The latest opinion polls all give Kadima the most Knesset seats, making it likely that Olmert, as the party's leader, will be asked to form the next government.

"Anyone who is not prepared to be a partner to [the plan] and the diplomatic agenda cannot be a part of the coalition's agenda. There will be no more rebels," Olmert said in an interview to Channel 10 television.

"I am absolutely determined to change the agenda and bring hope to the people of Israel. We can't accept the status quo, and must separate from the Palestinians. I will invest myself completely, using all of my experience and power. All the managerial wisdom that I've acquired will be directed at changing the state of affairs and bringing hope. I can affect change and I will," Olmert stated.

Olmert called upon the Israeli voter to grant a majority to Kadima, so that it will be able to establish a stable government, which will run full term. According to Olmert, if Prime Minister Arik Sharon were to wake up, he would say, "if I cannot do so, thank God Ehud Olmert is on the same path as I, taking the State of Israel forward."

The chairman of Israel Beitenu, Avigdor Liberman, considered to be one of Kadima's potential coalition partners, said in an interview to Haaretz this week that he opposes Olmert's consolidation plan. Responding to Olmert, Liberman said, "What do you expect Olmert would say five days before the elections. I suggest you speak with him five days after, then you'll hear a different tune."

MK Eli Yishai, chairman of Shas, which is also considered a possible coalition partner, said in response, "We have opposed the withdrawal and still do."

Olmert not willing to wait long for Hamas The acting premier also said that he is not prepared to wait years for Hamas to recognize Israel, a precondition for peace talks, and that he is prepared to take unilateral steps in the meantime.

"We waited a reasonable time. If we see there is no reasonable chance [for a resumption of talks] we will take our fate in our own hands," he said.

Olmert has previously announced his intention to set Israel's borders by 2010, through the completion of the construction of the West Bank separation fence, withdrawing from large parts of the West Bank and dismantling settlements.

The acting prime minister reiterated that Israel must draw its own borders if there is no possibility of talks with the Palestinians. "We have to solve the problem ourselves, not to become a hostage to the Palestinians to decide when things will happen and what will happen," he said.

Olmert's unilateralist approach has been bolstered by the election victory of the militant Islamic Hamas, which is setting up a Palestinian government. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel or renounce violence.

Asked for his response if Hamas changes its policy and recognizes Israel, Olmert said that if the representatives of the Palestinian people fulfill all of their obligations and stop terrorism, "then we will negotiate with the representatives of the Palestinian Authority."

Olmert said he would prefer negotiations to unilateral actions. "We are prepared to fix borders that are different from the ones we have today. so there is plenty to talk about," he said, while rejecting the key Palestinian demand to withdraw from all of the West Bank.

Olmert rejected the idea of putting his plan before a referendum when it is finalized. "The referendum is this Tuesday," election day, he said. "The whole political spectrum agrees with this. So I don't think we have to develop this idea of referendums."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3231190,00.html
Is leftist coalition in cards?

In television interview, acting PM says parties unwilling to back his plan for further West Bank withdrawals would not be able to join future coalition; there will be no more rebels, Olmert says
Ynet

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that parties that do not agree to back the so-called "convergence plan," which will see Israeli withdraw from some West Bank areas, will not be able to join a Kadima-led government.

Speaking in a Channel 10 interview, Olmert said that "whoever is not ready to be a party to the convergence plan, a party to the political agenda, would not be able to become a coalition partner.

"There will be no more rebels," the acting PM said, referring to so-called Likud "rebels" who resisted ailing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza and northern West Bank pullout.

"This experience of a government and a coalition system extorted by rebels who undermine the people from inside and work against it will
not be tolerated by me. We have learned our lesson. That's exactly why we established Kadima," Olmert added.

“We need to initiate processes, and not turn Israel into a hostage of the Palestinians,” Olmert said. “We can’t have someone determine a timetable for us or decide for us when things will or will not happen. We need to take our fate in our own hands."

"There is absolutely no reason why we should not make decisions that are good for Israel at a time like this. Four years are a very short period when you don’t want to do anything, but they’re a very long time when you want to get things done,” he said.

Shas: There won't be another pullout

Olmert's remarks appeared to disqualify right-wing party Israel Our Home and religious party Shas, expected to play a deciding factor in the upcoming elections, from taking part in a future Kadima coalition.

Sash Chairman Eli Yishai told Ynet in response that "Shas prefers a right-wing government and is against additional unilateral disengagements. And anyway, Olmert will not carry out a pullout. This is only an election campaign."

"We are against it now and we will be against it after the elections. Olmert's plan is unfeasible. The people won't tolerate it," Yishai said.

The Shas leader added that "this is a plan that will boost terror and give Hamas everything for free."

He warned that "the National Religious Party will enter such a government, and will demand as a condition to conduct a referendum for implementing the disengagements."

Still, Yishai left the door open for future negotiations, saying that when the time comes Shas will bring the issue to its Council of Torah Sages, who will know how to guide the faction.

Last week it was revealed that Shas members met with Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, but Yishai is also known to be in contact with Olmert, and it was said that Olmert’s withdrawal plan did not affect plans for future cooperation between Shas and Kadima.

(03.22.06, 21:52)

I'm wondering who will have control of and access to the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, and the Old City: "Palestinians," or Israelies?
***

Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Dan 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that any party wishing to join a coalition government headed by Kadima after the March 28 elections must support his plan for further withdrawals

Elections are next week, and Olmerde is acting as though he has already won.

"Pride precedes a downfall, and arrogance before destruction." Proverbs 16:19.

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

The situation reminds me of Judges, Chapter 12:

1And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

2And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.

3And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

4Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

5And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

6Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

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