Olmert vows to press on with peacemaking

By ICEJ News

25 Nov 2008

As Israel’s outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wrapped up his last official visit to Washington on Tuesday, he insisted that he still enjoys a mandate to make concessions on core issues in talks with Palestinian leaders, despite his status at the head of a caretaker government. Olmert reportedly told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, herself part of a lame-duck Bush Administration, that he has an unusually close relationship with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and will continue pursuing the Annapolis negotiating track even after incoming president Barack Obama takes office in late January. "In principle there is nothing to prevent us from reaching an agreement on the core issues in the near future," Olmert said.” It would be good for the State of Israel… You don't need months to make a decision." Olmert was speaking to Israeli reporters after US President George W. Bush hosted him at the White House for the last time. He also reiterated his recent position that Israel must make “the painful sacrifice of parts of the land of Israel” to achieve peace with the Palestinians, according to Ynetnews.

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