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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni taking a helicopter ride with U.S. congressman Tom Lantos last Thursday. (AP)
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Last update - 03:15 13/08/2007
Lantos: Premature roadblocks removal may spark terror attacks
By The Associated Press

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos on Sunday told journalists in Jerusalem that "premature removal of checkpoints is a guarantee of violence and terrorism erupting," on the same day that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office announced it would decide on their removal soon.

A spokesman for Olmert's office said, "Wherever and whenever possible, it is Israel's intention to ease up on the Palestinian population, while taking into account the relevant security situation at that point in time."

Israel has sometimes failed to meet promises to remove roadblocks in the past due to staunch political opposition.

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Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit said the decision still hinged on whether Abbas improved security in the West Bank.

Lantos also downplayed expectations for the planned Middle East peace conference, saying Washington should not expect to achieve major breakthroughs in the region before U.S. elections next year.

Lantos said he has not yet decided whether to support the Bush administration plan to provide Saudia Arabia with a multimillion-dollar weapons package but that any such deal needs to be of such a nature that it does not represent a threat to the state of Israel.

He will meet with Olmert and other Israeli leaders, as well as with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad during his Mideast visit.

U.S. President George W. Bush proposed a Mideast peace conference this fall after bloody infighting split the Palestinian leadership into two rival governments. His administration sees the bitter internal split as an opportunity to push for a political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

"We must not exaggerate any expectations with respect to the meeting that will take place in November," Lantos, a California Democrat, told a press conference in Jerusalem during a tour of the Middle East. "While I understand that some people in the administration would like to see great achievements in the next few months, great achievements will not be forthcoming," he said.

While such a conference will be useful, time is too short to expect progress before U.S. presidential elections in November 2008, Lantos said.
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  1.   Big Surprise 13:57  |  MaoSayTongue 12/08/07
  2.   I agree with Lantos and disagree with Haaretz`s impatience 14:25  |  S 12/08/07
  3.   As a Holocaust survivor ... 14:30  |  Californian 12/08/07
  4.   Lantos Doesn`t Want Peace 14:57  |  Martin 12/08/07
  5.   Who Owns This Country? 15:28  |  Rowan Berkeley 12/08/07
  6.   Don`t exaggerate hopes for Mideast talks 15:32  |  Fred 12/08/07
  7.   MaoSayTongue of Beth El Island CA 15:39  |  Akiva Patysh 12/08/07
  8.   America loves Israel 15:40  |  Wendy 12/08/07
  9.   Lantos is Reelected through His Decency 15:49  |  Decency needed 12/08/07
  10.   #4 Martin TA 15:50  |  * BEN JABO 12/08/07
  11.   Lantos is right in a perverse sort of way,he is a zionist and 15:59  |  lakshmi 12/08/07
  12.   The bum should be turfed out 16:02  |  Tim 12/08/07
  13.   Mr. Lantos` opinion. 16:38  |  sandra chitayat 12/08/07
  14.   We weren`t holding our breath for you Mr Lantos 16:39  |  sh 12/08/07
  15.   Expect lots of bootlicking of terrorists by Olmert & Peres. 16:40  |  Chaim 12/08/07
  16.   this could only be a disappointment for the LEFT 16:58  |  Avi 12/08/07
  17.   It`s because next steps require Israel to obey int law 17:01  |  Tim 12/08/07
  18.   #5 Rowan Berkley 17:06  |  * BEN JABO 12/08/07
  19.   #11 Tim - Toronto 17:09  |  * BEN JABO 12/08/07
  20.   Any surprise 17:13  |  Indrajaya 12/08/07
  21.   lakshmi #10 17:18  |  scanadu 12/08/07
  22.   tim #13 17:24  |  scanadu 12/08/07
  23.   Has anyone seen the Bush regime do anything 17:35  |  Mark Lincoln 12/08/07
  24.   lakshmi is a lackey 17:42  |  Shafrir Yisraeli 12/08/07
  25.   #1, Mao Tse Tongue 17:45  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  26.   ALERT = Fake Indrajaya 16 17:45  |  indrajaya 12/08/07
  27.   Lantos Being Realistic 17:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 12/08/07
  28.   #10, Tim 17:54  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  29.   ROWAN BERKELEY 17:56  |  Brant 12/08/07
  30.   to the real indrajaya No 21 18:10  |  justice 12/08/07
  31.   Lantos deserves indulgence 18:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/08/07
  32.   Hannah,good posts as always,no question that lantos is a zionist, 18:16  |  lakshmi 12/08/07
  33.   HANNAH AND THE CONGRESS 18:20  |  Brant 12/08/07
  34.   Lantos: Tell us something we don`t know.. 18:26  |  Natallie Durson 12/08/07
  35.   The REAL LAKSHMI 18:30  |  Brant 12/08/07
  36.   LAKSHMI AND "CHILDISH FELLOW" 18:36  |  Brant 12/08/07
  37.   Lantos - unlike the posters on this board 18:40  |  * BEN JABO 12/08/07
  38.   Akiva Patysh - MaoSayToungue 19:10  |  tadchase 12/08/07
  39.   Amateruish Reporting - Associated Press 19:13  |  Double Click 12/08/07
  40.   Lantos, give us a break. STAY IN ISRAEL 19:14  |  Wendy 12/08/07
  41.   Politics of Peace 19:25  |  tadchase 12/08/07
  42.   Lantos supports freedom & democracy is realistic & know history 19:32  |  Nannette 12/08/07
  43.   ONLY SOLUTION: GAZA UNDER EGYPT; PARTS OF W.BANK LINKED TO JORDAN 19:45  |  G. Marcus 12/08/07
  44.   #31, Swiss (Dino) 19:52  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  45.   #32, Lakshmi 19:58  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  46.   Au contraire, the moment for peace is now! 19:59  |  Ivar 12/08/07
  47.   #33, Brant 20:06  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  48.   #31, Dino, you deserve indulgence 20:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/08/07
  49.   #39, Double Click 20:10  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  50.   #40, Wendy 20:13  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  51.   #35, Brant 20:17  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  52.   #42 - Not only the Palestinians 20:19  |  Double Click 12/08/07
  53.   Lantos at the checkpoint 20:33  |  ussishkin 12/08/07
  54.   Who does Lantos work for? 20:36  |  Dovy 12/08/07
  55.   #44, Ms Kohn 20:53  |  Hannah 12/08/07
  56.   #46, Ivar 20:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/08/07
  57.   to the Sweedish boy 21:03  |  indrajaya 12/08/07
  58.   42Nannette,israel agreed to abide by UN resolutions in 1947 21:13  |  lakshmi 12/08/07
  59.   # 44 Hannah 21:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/08/07
  60.   ben jabo 10 21:26  |  realism 12/08/07
  61.   # 48 Cipora Julianna Kohn 21:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/08/07
  62.   cipora 48 21:30  |  realism 12/08/07
  63.   #33 Brant 21:33  |  Shana 12/08/07
  64.   Brant. Why the Rant? . -29 21:46  |  Hubal 12/08/07
  65.   Nanette. Really? 21:53  |  Lola 12/08/07
  66.   Racing to make peace.... 22:13  |  Daniel 12/08/07
  67.   Only Solution: Tom Lantos and more strong minded gentiles 22:27  |  Tim 12/08/07
  68.   Bravo Hannah 22:33  |  Shi`it Happens 12/08/07
  69.   to #3 22:34  |  SLAVO 12/08/07
  70.   # 50 Hannah, Zionism is not all bad 22:41  |  Wendy 12/08/07
  71.   LIVNI LOOKS BORED AT HEARING ABOUT PROTECTING JEWISH LIVES. 22:45  |  Ofer 12/08/07
  72.   #63 Ofer - did you notice 23:00  |  * BEN JABO 12/08/07
  73.   Brant. Why the Rant? . -29 23:10  |  Hubal 12/08/07
  74.   Lanto`s cautious delay actually increases the risks 23:14  |  Ivar 12/08/07
  75.   A must-know of Tom Lantos 23:18  |  Axel 12/08/07
  76.   #57, Dino 23:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/08/07
  77.   Wendy! Go back to ???? 23:43  |  sg 12/08/07
  78.   Lantos Has to Warn Israel`s Leaders - Pathetic 23:45  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/08/07
  79.   HANNAH AND "CEASE AND DESIST" 23:49  |  Brant 12/08/07
  80.   Arab Hannah 23:49  |  Sarah 12/08/07
  81.   SHANA: My reply 23:56  |  Brant 12/08/07
  82.   Lantos at the checkpoint 00:0