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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem earlier this month. (GPO)
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PM: Annapolis conference will not bring historic breakthrough
By Mazal Mualem, Aluf Benn and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday a U.S.-sponsored conference on Palestinian statehood would not result in a major breakthrough in peacemaking.

Olmert arrived in Paris Sunday afternoon, where he plans to hold talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy over preparations for the regional meet, scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland next month.

Olmert has sought to lower expectations for the conference to deflect pressure from right-wing coalition partners who are opposed to dividing Jerusalem and taking other sweeping steps as part of any deal with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
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Olmert said before a cabinet meeting on Sunday, hours prior to leaving for Paris, that the Annapolis conference "is not meant to be an event on its own or an event for an agreement or a historic breakthrough".

Olmert said the conference should instead be viewed as a chance for the international community to support statehood negotiations, expected to formally begin following the gathering.

Meanwhile, Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas reiterated this weekend that they are inclined to quit the government if "core issues" are discussed at the Annapolis peace conference, as the coalition crisis worsened ahead of the summit.

On his visit to Europe this week, Olmert will also meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It will be his first meetings with both Sarkozy and Brown since the two European leaders took office this summer.

Olmert is trying to rally both leaders toward greater efforts to block Iran's quest for nuclear weapons, and will also discuss with them the upcoming summit at Annapolis.

In Paris, Olmert was expected to find a friend in Sarkozy, who has already expressed his support for broader sanctions against Iran. A political source in Jerusalem said the French president also seeks to lower expectations about the results of the Annapolis summit.

However, Sarkozy said Friday he would tell the Israeli leader that the time had come for a Middle East peace treaty.

"My message to Mr. Olmert will simply be that ... time has come to make peace, said Sarkozy at a news conference after an EU summit. Now is the time to take risks and build a lasting peace," he said.

Sarkozy said he gave the same message to Abbas when he met him in New York last month.

Brown, who supports an economic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is expected to discuss joint economic projects that will involve the rival parties and Britain. The two will also discuss the Iranian nuclear issue, in anticipation of discussions at the United Nations Security Council on broadening economic sanctions against Tehran.

While Olmert is trying to step up international efforts to counter the Iranian threat, however, his coalition government is likely to become increasingly unstable, Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman has warned the prime minister against discussing core issues of the conflict - refugees, Jerusalem, borders - at the Annapolis summit.

In an interview on Channel 2 Saturday, Lieberman said that if the core issues are discussed, "this government will not be able to continue. This is my view and it is the view of [Shas Chairman] Eli Yishai. We will not be able to be part of this government if the Annapolis summit deals with core issues."

Lieberman expressed similar views during his meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week.

Shas, the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party in the coalition, has also expressed concern over the core issues. Its chairman, Minister of Industry and Trade Eli Yishai, has repeatedly said that the party opposes any discussion of these issues at Annapolis.

Yishai has said that any discussion or declaration relating to them will require his party's approval.

Yishai, who is currently on a visit to the United States, told Haaretz last week that any mention of Jerusalem in a document to be signed at the Annapolis summit will cause Shas to leave the coalition. "This may result in the breakup of the government, and it will depend on whether Lieberman also decides to quit," Yishai said.

Livni: PA's 'revolving door policy' harms relations with Israel
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told ministers Sunday at the cabinet meeting that she had discussed the PA's failure to deal with terror organizations during her meetings last week with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia.

Livni said she told Qureia that "a return to the revolving door policy fundamentally harms Israel's ability to put faith in the Palestinian side."

The foreign minister added that "any agreement with the Palestinians will be subject to the implementation of the road map, and first and foremost the war on terror. This is a fundamental principle in the contacts with the Palestinians."

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  • Uzi Benziman: Leaving Annapolis unscathed

  • Avigdor Lieberman: Peace talks could bring about government's collapse

  • Shas: If J'lem even mentioned in Annapolis, we'll bolt coalition
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      1.   Shas and Lieberman 03:43  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 21/10/07
      2.   CORE ISSUES?TRAITORS WANT MORE MONEY TO SUPPORT HOLYLAND DIVISION 04:09  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 21/10/07
      3.   The same old story 04:15  |  Natallie Durson 21/10/07
      4.   No "core issues" discussion = no peace talks. 04:49  |  Maureen Ann 21/10/07
      5.   The sad holyland 04:58  |  Refugee 21/10/07
      6.   Good 05:01  |  danite 21/10/07
      7.   Can`t Shas be paid off? 05:21  |  Steve 21/10/07
      8.   # 3 Fatmah, you as well as all pal`s are aware ... 05:22  |  Misha 21/10/07
      9.   no core issues 05:22  |  edgar 21/10/07
      10.   #3 Natallie, An Old Story 06:37  |  Alan 21/10/07
      11.   Peace dividends 06:45  |  Miche 21/10/07
      12.   I love your description on Hamas - well done! 06:57  |  red 21/10/07
      13.   Does Israel Really Want Peace? 06:59  |  Ralph 21/10/07
      14.   No honesty of purpose 07:15  |  Truths 21/10/07
      15.   Alan and bigotry 07:17  |  Truth 21/10/07
      16.   Political Correctness? 07:27  |  Daniel 21/10/07
      17.   # 12 you mean the Israeli are no better than Hamas? 08:26  |  Kris 21/10/07
      18.   Natallie Durson 08:33  |  Sam 21/10/07
      19.   TRUTH please quote the Hamas(the elected govt.)agenda for peace? 08:43  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
      20.   "Core" issues... 08:44  |  sandra chitayat 21/10/07
      21.   Political Correctness 08:59  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
      22.   We`ll leave the coalltion unless you offer 09:04  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
      23.   Misha 09:05  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
      24.   concern 09:25  |  elsie. 21/10/07
      25.   As long as Shas and Yisrael Beitenu reamain in the goverment 09:37  |  Zev 21/10/07
      26.   Choice: Coalition shakeout or international apartheid sanctions 09:38  |  Ivar 21/10/07
      27.   # 6 Danite 10:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/07
      28.   #18 Clickfool 10:13  |  Sarah 21/10/07
      29.   13# Ralph. You are asking the wrong question. 10:24  |  Akram Zekaria 21/10/07
      30.   PAL BRIT.Its not just Hamas is it? Fatah TV has ALL Israel as Pal 10:25  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
      31.   PAL.BRIT P.C. Hamas AND Fatah style.You want peace?? this way? 10:35  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
      32.   state 10:37  |  izaak 21/10/07
      33.   Settlers are supremist No29 10:59  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
      34.   Nature of the government of Israel 11:01  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
      35.   Clickfoot 11:14  |  Israeli 21/10/07
      36.   Re Natallie #3 11:16  |  Esther 21/10/07
      37.   Olmert to serve 10 years in jail 11:17  |  Jonathan S 21/10/07
      38.   unsurprising intransigence 11:25  |  mikeodd 21/10/07
      39.   Israeli 11:36  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
      40.   margie 11:39  |  whodey 21/10/07
      41.   For Israeli # 35 11:41  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
      42.   Let`s be diplomatic here....... 11:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/07
      43.   At the most, Annapolis will bring about the opportunity 12:08  |  Dubi 21/10/07
      44.   ELECTIONS NOW : DELAY ANNAPOLIS 13:20  |  D.Ranged 21/10/07
      45.   set up 13:31  |  ahad aham 21/10/07
      46.   PAL BRIT.What`s negotiable when you claim it all?as on Pal TV 13:37  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
      47.   Advice to Abbas 13:59  |  Paul 21/10/07
      48.   Waste of Time 14:12  |  JJ 21/10/07
      49.   whodey Re @40 14:18  |  GABE! 21/10/07
      50.   Whodey 14:18  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
      51.   # 28 Sarah 14:32  |  christa 21/10/07
      52.   Clickfool 14:32  |  Sarah 21/10/07
      53.   whodey re @50 14:33  |  GABE1- 21/10/07
      54.   33# Palestinian Brit. 14:34  |  Akram Zekaria 21/10/07
      55.   a historical breakthrough? 14:36  |  rose 21/10/07
      56.   of course, israel never had any intention about peace 14:57  |  cristina 21/10/07
      57.   FINALLY, ISRAEL WILL TALK WITH HAMAS ON CORE ISSUES 14:58  |  indrajaya 21/10/07
      58.   margie @50 14:58  |  GABE1 21/10/07
      59.   According to Olmert can have Annapolis without Israel, PA present 15:09  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
      60.   # 42 DINO - Do not be shy 15:09  |  17 21/10/07
      61.   For Sarah # 52 15:20  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
      62.   #4 is mauren talking about iran and saudi arabia ? 15:21  |  victor hardman 21/10/07
      63.   What`s The Matter With Discussing Core Issues? 15:21  |  Jeff Northridge 21/10/07
      64.   Dubi@43 - I agree with each one of your points, mostly 15:26  |  Ruti 21/10/07
      65.   Why go? 15:42  |  Baz Mann 21/10/07
      66.   annapolis a photo opportunity at best if at all 16:02  |  annie 21/10/07
      67.   What a great opportunity 16:03  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
      68.   primitives trying to fool 16:04  |  17 21/10/07
      69.   well, what`s left? 16:10  |  jake 21/10/07
      70.   Whodey #40 16:10  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
      71.   Annapolis 16:12  |  Cyasher 21/10/07
      72.   But it won`t stop progress toward the Palestinian State 16:22  |  David Hoffman 21/10/07
      73.   cristina # 56 Peaceful Intentions 16:25  |  Jeff Northridge 21/10/07
      74.   tzfonit aka bracha 16:33  |  GABE1 21/10/07
      75.   The goals are unachieveable 16:34  |  ralphsrant1 21/10/07
      76.   # 60 17 " Good", but not good enough...... 16:35  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/07
      77.   Weak Governements 16:35  |  Joe 21/10/07
      78.   Tzfonit @69 16:38  |  GABE1 21/10/07
      79.   to Dr. Rice 16:54  |  khairi janbek