Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., April 17, 2008 Nisan 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 09:03 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (Archives)
Last update - 07:57 11/04/2008
PM to IDF commanders: Think of Palestinian suffering at roadblocks
By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: West Bank, Ehud Olmert 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called on IDF commanders in the West Bank to understand that the roadblocks are causing suffering to the Palestinians, whose needs should be appreciated to avoid a worsening of relations between the two peoples.

Olmert made these comments during a closed-door meeting with brigade commanders of Central Command.

"Take all the Palestinians who were stripped at the roadblocks, only because there was concern that some of them were terrorists. Take all those who stand at the roadblocks where there is concern that a car bomb will pass through," Olmert said.
Advertisement
"This can become a boiling pot that can explode and cause terrible burns, and it can also be something else, which only depends on your understanding and abilities to conduct yourselves with wisdom and determination."

Olmert also told the officers that "sooner or later" Israel would have to operate in the Gaza Strip.

"But this will not be done without connection with the international scene. We need our friends throughout the world, and our reliance on them is of existential significance to the State of Israel," he said.

Olmert's standing in the eyes of the public has improved, according to a Haaretz-Dialog survey carried out on Wednesday.

Even though there has been no improvement in the public's satisfaction with the prime minister's performance, holding steady since February with a 23 percent approval rating, the number of those "dissatisfied" with Olmert has dropped from 65 to 60 percent. This reflects a slow but steady trend of improvement in his standing since the Second Lebanon War.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak's approval rating dropped slightly since the February survey. Barak received a 37 percent approval rating this week, compared with 47 percent who were dissatisfied.

But most people say they feel more secure and that Israel is better prepared for total war, compared with the situation two years ago on the eve of the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War.

The most significant change reflected in Wednesday's poll is that Likud lost nearly 20 percent support since February, lowering its potential Knesset mandates to 29 from 35 in the previous survey.

Barak, also leader of the Labor Party, expressed frustration that the kind of political cooperation he expected with Prime Minister Olmert has still not happened.

"Instead of dealing with [opposition leader Benjamin] Netanyahu, Olmert and I are drawn into political rivalries," Barak told close associates, referring to the tensions between Labor and Kadima.

Related articles:
  • State recycles promise to remove dozens of roadblocks in the West Bank
  • Israel privatizes West Bank checkpoints, but Palestinians miss the army
  • PM: Israeli response to Negev attack will weaken Hamas
  • Erekat: Abbas, Olmert to meet Monday to review negotiations
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Breaking with the ZOA
    Is Harvard University's Progressive Jewish Alliance inciting against Israel?
    Rising in the polls
    New survey finds Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world.
      1.   Is there no end to the idiocy? 02:58  |  IW 11/04/08
      2.   Israeli citizens to Olmert 03:01  |  Jon 11/04/08
      3.   What about suffering Jews? 03:21  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 11/04/08
      4.   Olmertts Approval Rating Improves 03:44  |  A.J. Myers 11/04/08
      5.   judged one day 04:15  |  sam i am 11/04/08
      6.   The Headline Is a Clear Call To Collaborate With The Jihad Goal . 04:22  |  Joseph.E 11/04/08
      7.   #3, Rabbi Yakov Lazaros...you`re not the victim here... 04:25  |  Silvienne 11/04/08
      8.   Oust this worthless bastard! Where is the no-confidence vote? 04:30  |  Dr. L. Brnd 11/04/08
      9.   Which Olmert is believable,Tough on Gaza Arabs or easing on Arabs 04:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 11/04/08
      10.   self-determination 04:48  |  zechariah 11/04/08
      11.   LOL 04:58  |  Adam 11/04/08
      12.   Olmert`s Popularity Increase....With Whom?? 05:08  |  EGW 11/04/08
      13.   The Same as Israel Would Have to Operate in the Gaza Strip 05:13  |  Joseph.E 11/04/08
      14.   Olmert, roadblocks and Gaza 05:14  |  Edifice 11/04/08
      15.   Suffering like no other suffering 05:20  |  K 11/04/08
      16.   #1 IW. Don`t you understand, respect has to be earned? 05:26  |  Maureen Ann 11/04/08
      17.   Olmet you idiot - Think of Israeli deaths if roadblocks 05:32  |  * BEN JABO 11/04/08
      18.   Olmert will be gone soon 06:15  |  Joe Frazier 11/04/08
      19.   YOU IDIOT, RETAKE GAZA, NO MORE SUFFERING,NO QASSAMS,NO HAMAS!))) 06:25  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 11/04/08
      20.   PM suffering 06:30  |  Dick 11/04/08
      21.   To PMO: If you don`t remove west bank road blocks, Iran will 06:59  |  Aounist 11/04/08
      22.   Olmert is a roadblock to a peace or sanity 07:02  |  Sal 11/04/08
      23.   No one mans security check for fun 07:28  |  Ilan 11/04/08
      24.   To Maureen #16 07:45  |  IW 11/04/08
      25.   oh will you hardliners 08:04  |  RM 11/04/08
      26.   IRRITABILITY 08:09  |  JOJO (USA) 11/04/08
      27.   A better future for the Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. 08:33  |  Jean Van Daem 11/04/08
      28.   PM think of the Victims of Arabs terrorists 08:34  |  Esther AM ISRAEL HAI 11/04/08
      29.   Citizens of Israel to pm 09:08  |  isaac 11/04/08
      30.   To A.J. Myers # 4 - Which Newspaper do you read? 09:15  |  Dolly 11/04/08
      31.   The PMO calling for the Stockholm Syndrom to 09:19  |  Kris Lazar 11/04/08
      32.   Yea, think of the poor suicide bombers 09:22  |  Mark Hamil 11/04/08
      33.   PARDON ME FOR SAYING SO but 09:34  |  Onlooker 11/04/08
      34.   Barak versus Olmert 09:34  |  Esther 11/04/08
      35.   A WISDOM THAT COME TOO LITTLE TOO LATE 09:36  |  indrajaya 11/04/08
      36.   Re Esther AM-HAI #24 09:50  |  Esther 11/04/08
      37.   PM, think about pain of our mothers. 09:56  |  Vital 11/04/08
      38.   Olmert hopes of international support like Chechoslovakia in 1938 09:57  |  Absolute Sweden 11/04/08
      39.   bravo olmert 09:57  |  Abdul 11/04/08
      40.   PM MUST RESIGN 4 CORRUPTION & FAILED LEADERHSIP!!!! 10:02  |  Jacob 11/04/08
      41.   Arabs are rutinely checked at Arlanda and Kastrup airports 10:07  |  Absolute Sweden 11/04/08
      42.   THINK OF THIS MR.OLMERT 10:11  |  indrajaya 11/04/08
      43.   to 23 you could start using your real name, second it`s more.... 10:12  |  michele 11/04/08
      44.   Our PM, THE DEFEATIST....need for new leaders! 10:34  |  Ben Uziel 11/04/08
      45.   The is the PM of Palestinians asking for this. Right? 10:37  |  Nechama 11/04/08
      46.   Sister Cecilie on Radio Islam"Poor Germans,they had to care for J 10:40  |  Absolute Sweden 11/04/08
      47.   OLMERT IS VOICE OF WHO ? I truly wish to know. 10:41  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 11/04/08
      48.   Crocodile tears from an old lizard 10:45  |  Clickfool 11/04/08
      49.   Olmert = Haaretz, Ynet = Bibi /// Arutz 7 = Barak 10:48  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 11/04/08
      50.   Jean van Daem`s pipe-dream # 23 10:50  |  Clickfool 11/04/08
      51.   Olmert, Bibi, Barak = Haaretz, Ynet, Arutz 7 = THREE ISRAELS 10:52  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 11/04/08
      52.   SO SWEET! NOT!!! It`s the occupation and refugee stupid 10:54  |  Jill 11/04/08
      53.   Palestinian suffering. 10:57  |  David Nigel Braham 11/04/08
      54.   Olmert on Shakespear 11:25  |  Proud Israeli 11/04/08
      55.   EU ANGERS ARE TAKING EFFECTS 11:48  |  indrajaya 11/04/08
      56.   EU ANGERS ARE TAKING EFFECTS 11:48  |  indrajaya 11/04/08
      57.   #Ben Jabo. What about the 50 000... 11:54  |  Maureen Ann 11/04/08
      58.   Very Unlikely, IDF is full of hate and racism 12:08  |  El-Birawi 11/04/08
      59.   Not credible... 12:09  |  Esther 11/04/08
      60.   Olmert, the only Israeli (moderate) right-wing politician.... 12:18  |  Swiss (Dino) 11/04/08
      61.   To Dr. L. Brnd # 8 - An EXCELLENT POST 13:00  |  Onlooker 11/04/08
      62.   To Dr. L Brnd # 8 - A LETTER TO MR. OLMERT 13:13  |  Dagma 11/04/08
      63.   To Proud Israeli # 54 - On Shakespeare..... 13:23  |  Dolly 11/04/08
      64.   Indrajaya: say what??? 13:30  |  The Judge 11/04/08
      65.   Rabbi Lazaros 13:35  |  * BEN JABO 11/04/08
      66.   55 Indrajaya - There`s no spill over of terror 13:39  |  * BEN JABO 11/04/08
      67.   Olmert and Palestinian Suffering 13:51  |  Rachel Moira Simson 11/04/08
      68.   Olmert and Palestinian Suffering 13:51  |  Rachel Moira Simson 11/04/08
      69.   Olmert the comedian 14:04  |  Natallie Durson 11/04/08
      70.   Well-done Olmert! 14:40  |  AliciaYasmeen 11/04/08
      71.