Güncelleme Tarihi:
"A peace treaty with
Olmert also called for efforts for peace with the Palestinians, while warning that
An Israeli official said Thursday indirect peace talks with
The talks, which were suspended about three months ago after Olmert decided to resign over a corruption scandal, center on the fate of the
Olmert handed in his resignation on Sept. 21 but plans to remain at the head of a caretaker Israeli government until after early general elections scheduled for Feb. 10.
Olmert said a peace treaty would break the ties between
"
Olmert could not guarantee success in peace talks. "How will we know if we don’t try? How can we try if we are not prepared to take any risks?" he said.
Olmert called for serious negotiations toward a peace treaty with the Palestinians, though that would require "painful concessions".
STIFF OPPOSITION
The Likud Party leads in polls ahead of Feb. 10 elections, and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said that he would concentrate on economic cooperation instead of a peace treaty. He has also expressed stiff opposition to trading the Golan Heights for peace with
Olmert warned, "An Israeli government that does not show flexibility, political initiative and readiness for significant and painful compromises to win peace with the Palestinians and the Syrians is liable to be pushed into a corner, bring on itself harsh international criticism that would be harmful from the security and economic points of view."
The Israeli leader warned that
"The Iranian threat is not against
In a reference to the possibility of military action, Olmert said, "