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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (center) speaking in Jerusalem on Sunday.(Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 23:45 18/02/2008
FM: Ending peace talks now would bolster Hamas
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Monday that Israel would continue its negotiations with the Palestinian Authority despite ongoing rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, because ending the talks would only strengthen the position of Hamas.

Livni, who heads Israel's negotiating team, told the Knesset plenum after meeting with her Palestinian counterpart Ahmed Qureia that she was not "giving presents" to the Palestinians during talks: "I am not Santa Claus or some uncle that is giving out perks," she said.

The foreign minister added that some Israelis act "as though the negotiations are a kind of gift to the Palestinians or a present to the
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mericans," adding: "I don't accept that."


Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, countering Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on the issue of Jerusalem, was quoted on Monday as declaring that talks on the status of the city must not be postponed.

Speaking to a Jordanian newspaper, Abbas also said that the issue of Palestinian refugees must remain on the agenda of the talks, which he said were proceeding too slowly.

Olmert said on Sunday that Abbas had consented to hold off discussing Jerusalem until the end of the negotiating process, a move that could anger Palestinians but help the Israeli leader hold together his fragile coalition government for now.

But Nimer Hammad, Abbas's senior political advisor, said Monday "This is not true at all. The issue of Jerusalem is a fundamental issue and cannot be postponed. The president did not agree [with Olmert] to postpone it."

Abbas and Olmert planned to hold talks on Tuesday in Jerusalem. They have pledged to meet frequently to help advance Palestinian statehood negotiations that resumed after a U.S.-hosted Middle East peace conference in November.

The two sides, urged by U.S. President George W. Bush to reach a peace agreement before he leaves office in January 2009, have agreed to address core issues such as borders and the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

But in a speech on Sunday, Olmert said the goal of peace talks with Abbas was to reach an understanding on "basic principles" for a Palestinian state by the end of 2008, rather than a full-fledged agreement.

"I don't know if we will be able to reach an understanding with the Palestinians. I hope we will. We'll do everything in our power to. But we will not start with the issue which is the most difficult," Olmert said of Jerusalem.

"We will postpone dealing with Jerusalem to the last phase of the negotiations," Olmert said, stressing that Abbas had "accepted" his suggestion.

Palestinian chief negotiatiator Saeb Erekat said Tuesday's meeting was not expected to deal with the final-status issues.

Instead, he expected the talks to focus on day-to-day areas of
concern, such as Israeli construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Information Minister Riad Malki said Abbas would also try to stave off an Israeli invasion of Gaza.

PM: No new settlements, but construction to go on

On Sunday, Olmert told visiting North American Jewish leaders that Israel will not construct any new settlements but will continue building in existing settlement blocs and Jerusalem.

Speaking in Jerusalem to a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Olmert said that, "Jerusalem holds a special place and in its Jewish areas reality on the ground will change in the coming years. "Not one of my critics built more than me in Jerusalem or contributed more to its development," Olmert, a former mayor of the capital, added.

On the matter of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, Olmert said that he does "not share in the optimism", referring to reports in the media that progress has been made in negotiations aimed at securing the soldier's release.

Regarding the two IDF reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, who were kidnapped by Hezbollah in July 2006, Olmert said that, "So long as there is no evidence in our hands [of their death], we will continue to conduct ourselves under the assumption that they are alive." Olmert spoke one day after the German political magazine Der Spiegel reported that the prime minister was planning to officially declare the two missing reservists as dead.

Olmert also pledged Sunday that the IDF would hit anyone who attacks Israel, especially Hamas.

Related articles:
  • Jewish groups: We all have a stake in Jerusalem's future
  • PM: Delay talks on Jerusalem to avoid derailing peace process
  • U.S. Reform leader says supports concessions on Jerusalem
  • Jerusalem congress on future of Jews excludes 'peace' from agenda

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      1.   Israel doesn`t know the meaning of Peace 03:54  |  Mark 18/02/08
      2.   Easing economic restrictions on Gaza! You numbskull,ask the 04:05  |  lakshmi 18/02/08
      3.   PM: No new settlements (but old ones can keep growing) 05:07  |  peacelover 18/02/08
      4.   Bad idea 05:59  |  Benny 18/02/08
      5.   We will delay the handling of Jerusalem to a later stage, 06:01  |  Maury 18/02/08
      6.   With Such Israeli Gov`t , Forget About Jewish State . 06:07  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      7.   Of Course We Will Build More Communities Here In OUR Land 06:47  |  Yishai Kohen 18/02/08
      8.   This govt. is the most dangerous enemy Israel faces. 07:10  |  Chaim 18/02/08
      9.   A referendum for the unity of Jerusalem. 07:17  |  Jean Van Daem 18/02/08
      10.   It is foolish to believe a peace or truce 07:36  |  Kris 18/02/08
      11.   The Ostrich Syndrome 07:55  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      12.   sounds like i didnt have sex with that woman ? 08:22  |  v hardman 18/02/08
      13.   Gonna please the USA no end, that statement.... 08:24  |  Johnboy 18/02/08
      14.   Secular leaders` bible is to look good in image only 08:32  |  petter f. 18/02/08
      15.   Freeze of Settlements Construction Justify Arab Terror 08:41  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      16.   The most fundamental flaw is the renunciation 08:44  |  Joseph . E 18/02/08
      17.   olmert`s being a politician; & politics does NOT make peace 09:08  |  eric 18/02/08
      18.   Just what part of unlawful doesn`t Israel understand 09:26  |  Dutch 18/02/08
      19.   Gross breach of promises to America 09:43  |  Clickfool 18/02/08
      20.   Good deal for all parties 09:54  |  Mr. Peace Now 18/02/08
      21.   #4 eric fails on 1st principles no majority in israel will sancti 10:07  |  v hardman 18/02/08
      22.   PM Olmert, lies, lies, and more lies 10:10  |  Dav 18/02/08
      23.   you may be right, victor/paul/etal... 10:43  |  eric 18/02/08
      24.   To Clickfool 10:53  |  Natallie Durson 18/02/08
      25.   Once Again Israel Proves It Can`t Be Trusted to Keep Commitments 11:01  |  Johan Odin 18/02/08
      26.   Just whose side is Natallie Durson on? 11:39  |  Joe Sittizen 18/02/08
      27.   #22 Dav - glad I found you again 11:53  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      28.   #25 John Odin - Careful, watch out for Thors Hammer 11:57  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      29.   Putting Jerusalem on the Agenda is Illegal 12:08  |  sam 18/02/08
      30.   No deal with the Palestinian Arabs until and unless: 1) We reach 12:17  |  Dubi 18/02/08
      31.   Borders Involve Jerusalem 12:48  |  MB 18/02/08
      32.   To Clickfool, With Thanks. 12:56  |  Natan 18/02/08
      33.   I believe the Israelis before I believe Ramallah 13:05  |  El-Birawi 18/02/08
      34.   * Ben Jabo - You need history lesson 13:13  |  Johan Odin 18/02/08
      35.   reality on the ground: Pal outnumber Settelers 13:13  |  Tupac 18/02/08
      36.   Yishai Kohen: Your Land? Where Russia or Europe? 13:16  |  Tupac 18/02/08
      37.   NEGOTIATING J-M 13:28  |  SHY 18/02/08
      38.   NOT ONE MORE INCH OF JERUSALEM 13:34  |  Petra 18/02/08
      39.   PALS HAVE 22 STATES NO MORE !!!!!!! 13:36  |  Petra 18/02/08
      40.   33, The Third Way Party seems a real genuine hope for them. 13:44  |  What do you think? 18/02/08
      41.   TheJerusalem has always been the capital of the Jewish people and 13:47  |  Amiram 18/02/08
      42.   To ClickFOOL and Natalie Boohoo Re: Jerusalem 14:37  |  Yossi 18/02/08
      43.   Whats the rush Abbas? Why the sellout Olmert? 14:50  |  Avi 18/02/08
      44.   Jerusalem is not for discussion. 15:27  |  Vital 18/02/08
      45.   Neither Pals nor Israel have gov`t able to discuss peace normally 15:28  |  Sam 18/02/08
      46.   Ben Jabu thinks the propaganda is still working 15:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 18/02/08
      47.   perfect example 15:50  |  al 18/02/08
      48.   NO to Abbas crap 16:03  |  Brod 18/02/08
      49.   #2 lakshmi:You tel l- we do!But first tell GAZANS to stop QASSAMs 16:05  |  People of the World 18/02/08
      50.   dutch # 18 You ask. - We answer. 16:07  |  People of the World 18/02/08
      51.   Be real 16:42  |  Salam 18/02/08
      52.   JERUSALEM 16:45  |  vi Yerushalmi 18/02/08
      53.   "PALESTINE" IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY 16:48  |  20x20 18/02/08
      54.   Jerusalem 16:49  |  Avi Yerushalmi 18/02/08
      55.   Jerusalem 16:49  |  Avi Yerushalmi 18/02/08
      56.   johnboy for someone who hates america 16:51  |  zevulun 18/02/08
      57.   #46 Turncoat Sullivan - The ma?? of many faces 16:51  |  * BEN JABO 18/02/08
      58.   18 Dutch,greetings,the UN created this rogue state & it is the 16:53  |  lakshmi 18/02/08
      59.   johnboy "all is mine mine mine" 16:53  |  zevulun 18/02/08
      60.   johnboy "why bother having any negotiation olmert" 17:05  |  ricardo cohen 18/02/08
      61.   Salam #51 17:09  |  Brod 18/02/08
      62.   Jews in the PA controlled Jerusalem re #10 17:11  |  Michael Schneider 18/02/08
      63.   Olmert can fool himself, but only for some of the time 17:13  |  Tosefta 18/02/08
      64.   Let`s cut to the nitty-gritty 17:15  |  Sam 18/02/08
      65.   The Two Dons in Gaza & Ramallah. 17:24  |  Akram Zekaria 18/02/08
      66.   59. zevulum. it is not possible to evaluate as 17:27  |  bozhidar balkas 18/02/08
      67.   ARE ISRAELIS AND ARABS EQUAL 17:31  |  mike 18/02/08
      68.   Discussions on Jerusalem are useless unless. . . . 17:46  |  MichaelF 18/02/08
      69.   lakshmi: why no greetings to Yaacov Sullivan??? 17:47  |  Avi