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PM Ehud Olmert joins ministers Livni, Mofaz, and Sheetrit at the cabinet meeting in J'lem on Sun. (Reuters)
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Last update - 19:16 07/10/2007
Livni: Israel shouldn't rush into concessions for sake of summit
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other ministers expressed concerns over the fast rate at which negotiations with the Palestinian Authority are progressing, during a debate at Sunday's cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

Speaking of the talks being held before the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, scheduled for next month, Livni stated her opposition to Israel "being dragged into making strategic concessions to the PA just for the sake of arriving at the summit with a piece of paper."

Livni also stressed, however, the importance of progress toward two states for two peoples, and the need to distinguish between the extremists and moderates in the PA.
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Defense Minister Ehud Barak said of the negotiations: "It is important for us to be careful and level-headed with regards to the Palestinians... we have to think before we act."

Minister of Strategic Threats and Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman and Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer also expressed reservations about the conference. Lieberman said, "We must make sure that the summit will not become a forum where the whole world pressures us." Benjamin Ben-Eliezer maintained that "it's important that in the end we do not come out as losers."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai referred to the issue of incitement against Israel in the PA and said "We need to demand that [PA Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas will work against incitement in Palestinian schools."

Meanwhile, Vice Premier Haim Ramon said in response to Livni's comments that "whoever thinks that the structure of the Palestinian National Insurance will be discussed during the summit is deluding themself. There is an Israeli interest in Jerusalem's Jewish neighborhoods being recognized by the Arab [states] and the international community - as there is also an Israeli interest in [Arab neighborhood] of Shoafat not remaining under our control."

Ramon added, "This is what is meant by 'diplomatic horizon.' There is no chance that only bureaucratic issues will be discussed at the summit, and when the Palestinians ask what is the diplomatic horizon, we will tell them that we won't say."

Olmert: No deal has been reached with Abbas
At the start of the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that he and Abbas did not come to any conclusions during their meeting last week, meant to jump start negotiations before a Middle East peace conference scheduled for next month.

"There were no agreements or understandings between me and Abu Mazen," he said, referring to Abbas. Olmert also said that, during the meeting, the two "surveyed the problems and the central issues that are the basis for negotiations that will lead to two states for two peoples."

The prime minister added that "the peace conference that will take place in Annapolis, Maryland needs to give backing and encouragement to the process, but it is by no means a substitute for direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians."

He told the cabinet that "any solution that will be reached will be dependent on the implementation of the road map principles with an emphasis on the order of action it calls for, which is of special importance."

The road map lays out a three-stage program for establishing a Palestinian state, and states that in the first stage, the PA must wage war on terrorism and reform PA institutions, while Israel must remove all illegal outposts established in the West Bank since 2001.

Addressing the voices of opposition coming from within his party and the government regarding negotiations with the Palestinians, Olmert said, "We are holding different discussions, also within the government, in order to reach an internal agreement on political matters."

The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams will begin this week to draft the joint statement they will present at the summit. The nature of the document has sparked some tension between the sides, as the Palestinians seek a detailed document that addresses final-status issues - Jerusalem, borders and refugees - while Israel would like a more ambiguous document with no more than a mention of those issues.

The head of the Palestinian team, Ahmed Qureia said Saturday that the joint document will be the basis for the final settlement between the two sides
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  1.   No bargains this time 07:55  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  2.   What`s the point of a summit 10:21  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07
  3.   The PA is overplaying their role 11:07  |  Natallie Durson 07/10/07
  4.   margie in tel aviv 11:44  |  ravi 07/10/07
  5.   The PA is overplaying their role 11:55  |  JUSTICE ONLY JUSTICE 07/10/07
  6.   margie not as good as butter! peace not piece she says ? 12:14  |  victor hardman 07/10/07
  7.   We all want peace, Margie 12:20  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  8.   No agreement will ever be reached with the Palestinians ! 13:33  |  redmike 07/10/07
  9.   To Palestinian Brit - You have to be kidding!!! 13:54  |  Jewisha Boychick 07/10/07
  10.   PalBrit 14:13  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07
  11.   Peace? What Peace 14:28  |  Zalman Velvel 07/10/07
  12.   Compromise? 14:33  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  13.   The Palestinians don`t deserve anything? 14:35  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  14.   Jewish Boychick: It is the Jews who murder, steal and lie 14:38  |  American 07/10/07
  15.   Oslo all over again 14:51  |  Mark Lincoln 07/10/07
  16.   Abbas is dreaming 14:52  |  Realistic 07/10/07
  17.   @3 MARGIE IN TEL AVIV 14:59  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  18.   Palestine for Palestinians 15:05  |  nobodysacred 07/10/07
  19.   # 12 YOU ARE STARTING to sound more reasonable. 15:07  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  20.   PM Olmert has a challenging task, one must commend him 15:09  |  Smadar 07/10/07
  21.   # 3 MARGIE-sorry for the typos 15:11  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  22.   No 19. Abbas? 15:57  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  23.   22 AT PRESENT -NO ONE ELSE TO DEAL WITH 16:30  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  24.   To #14 - You need to be educated if you believe what you posted. 16:53  |  Jewisha Boychick 07/10/07
  25.   Alternative leaders 16:59  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07
  26.   Jon Feigenbaum 17:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07
  27.   no way 17:13  |  fred 07/10/07
  28.   how so JB?? 17:20  |  Space 07/10/07
  29.   there is no peac process - the PA doesn`t want one! 17:52  |  redmike 07/10/07
  30.   The Elon plan is a real peace plan. Israel should demand it! 17:53  |  Chaim 07/10/07
  31.   To #28 - The thrust of my posting was to get educated, please do! 18:11  |  Jewisha Boychick 07/10/07
  32.   It never ceases to amaze me 18:25  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/10/07
  33.   Delay, Delay, Delay 18:30  |  Moshe 07/10/07
  34.   #31 18:42  |  Space 07/10/07
  35.   After 40 years--what`s the rush? 19:02  |  igco 07/10/07
  36.   To #34 - Spaced Out 19:12  |  Jewisha Boychick 07/10/07
  37.   Concessions, If its not for sake of peace summit, then for what? 19:12  |  Tamir Palestine 07/10/07
  38.   NO MANDATE : NO TRUST : NO CONCESSIONS 19:14  |  A.Pache 07/10/07
  39.   It`s an American tradition 19:50  |  Motke Chabad 07/10/07
  40.   Short-term vs. long-term 19:54  |  Stanley 07/10/07
  41.   Israel is a state! 20:05  |  paul 07/10/07
  42.   They should mention Jesus`s rule 20:10  |  Paul 07/10/07
  43.   Israel wants "ambiguous document" 20:25  |  Harold 07/10/07
  44.   # 3 The puzle, Fatmah, is solvable nevertheless... 20:28  |  Misha 07/10/07
  45.   We all know this Summit is a waste of time 20:29  |  Harold 07/10/07
  46.   surprised at FM Livni`s hesitancy about summit 21:35  |  Smadar 07/10/07
  47.   To # 11 Zalman Velvet - No Peace with people 21:37  |  Natasha 07/10/07
  48.   Will Abbas fight Hamas to protect Israel if they dont like deal 21:44  |  zionist forever 07/10/07
  49.   METHODOLOGY, NOT CONCESSIONS 21:55  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/10/07
  50.   zionist forever 21:56  |  30 07/10/07
  51.   How many times of the Pals promised to "wage war on terrorism"?? 22:04  |  Kenny 07/10/07
  52.   Tzipi Livni is right 22:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/10/07
  53.   25 22:11  |  zionist forever 07/10/07
  54.   Unconditional confidence, reliance limited 22:35  |  H.H.M 07/10/07
  55.   Livni Shows Her Lack of Merit to Ever Be PM 23:00  |  Yoram 07/10/07
  56.   Chris Linthwaite 23:10  |  rich 07/10/07
  57.   Yes,where would we be if all of a sudden 23:38  |  Kol ha-Nevi`im 07/10/07
  58.   Rush into concessions? As if!! 23:38  |  Natallie Durson 07/10/07
  59.   MARGIE IN TEL AVIV 26 23:56  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 07/10/07
  60.   33 MOSHE 00:01  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 08/10/07
  61.   All we want is PEACE 00:17  |  Arik 08/10/07
  62.   Preparatory Command: 00:18  |  Mark Lincoln 08/10/07
  63.   To Misha - 1 00:55  |  Persian Kitty 08/10/07
  64.   Mr Olmert`s thumbs up. 00:56  |  Maureen Ann 08/10/07
  65.   To Misha - 2 01:04  |  Persian Kitty 08/10/07
  66.   #56 Rich 01:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/10/07
  67.   Any Deal With Such Implications Must Pass a Popular Referendum ! 01:40  |  Mike 08/10/07
  68.   Ther is NO Accuracy With Which To Solve the ME Problems Unless... 02:21  |  Billy the Jew 08/10/07
  69.   Israel & the Palestinians Traded Images..pt-1 02:49  |  Akram Zekaria 08/10/07
  70.   A little wisdom.... 02:52  |  Blogowitz 08/10/07
  71.   Israel & the Palestinians Trade Images pt-2 03:37  |  Akram Zekaria 08/10/07
  72.   To sum it up. 03:41  |  David 08/10/07
  73.   Rush? It`s only been 40 years! 03:50  |  Tim 08/10/07
  74.   This conference will be a gangup 03:58  |  ralphsrant1 08/10/07
  75.   Israel & the Palestinians Traded Images..pt-3 04:14  |  Akram Zekaria 08/10/07
  76.   Is Mount of Olives "Arab neighborhood", is 3/4 of Old City "ARab" 04:19  |  Ben 08/10/07
  77.   15# Mark Lincoln in the road to Damascus. 06:00  |  Akram Zekaria. 08/10/07
  78.   Persian Kitty 06:40  |  Chubaka 08/10/07
  79.   Persian Kitty 08:46  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 08/10/07
  80.