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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (Daniel Bar On)
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Last update - 23:27 13/11/2007
PM to settler council: We will have to make concessions
tags: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told heads of the Yesha council of settlements on Tuesday that in efforts to make peace with the Palestinians, "we will be forced to make some concessions."

Olmert on Tuesday met with Yesha, an organization representing the various municipal councils of religious Jewish settlements, in efforts to dispel some of their fears ahead of the upcoming peace conference scheduled for November 26 in Annapolis, Maryland.

During the meeting, which was held at the request of Yesha representatives in Jerusalem, the sides discussed freezing settlement construction. The Yesha council representatives called the meeting to express their concerns over the return of lands to the Palestinians under a possible future peace accord.
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"I see the future in a slightly different way than you do," Olmert said. "I know that in order to ensure a future for Israel as a Jewish democratic state, we will have no choice but to make some concessions. I feel that on this point I am embroiled in a heartbreaking disagreement with your public, a public that I myself was part of."

Olmert added that "I can say with certainty that there are lands that I would never withdraw from, and this is something that both the Palestinians and the Americans know. My feelings regarding Israel and its land are similar to yours. I have no doubt that every grain of soil from Jordan to the sea is a part of Eretz Israel and is intrinsically connected to the legacy and history of our people."

Olmert said during the course of the meeting that he understands the fears of the Jewish settlers and the resentment they may have developed toward the state. He added that he would like to conduct a dialogue with the settlers, and that he intends to meet with them soon, when there is progress in the negotiations with the Palestinians.

The Yesha council representatives described their feeling at the end of the meeting as "a feeling of an imminent tsunami." Yesha council Chairman Danny Dayan said that now he and his associates understand that the state's total freeze on West Bank settlements is not simply pressure to remove settlers but rather an independent political policy.

"We described to Olmert the total freeze on settlements [in effect] which includes kindergartens, caravans for schools and lack of consideration for natural crops. He didn't say anything, and didn't contradict our statements," Dayan said.

"We warned him that the evacuation of over 100,000 people from their homes, is not at all similar to the evacuation of 10,000 people from Gush Katif [in the Gaza Strip] two years ago," Dayan added. "It's like comparing a flood in Pardes Hannah to a huge tsunami. We told Olmert that such an expulsion will break the neck of Israel's society. More and more people will begin to resent the state and its institutions. It will not at all be like what we went through with Gush Katif."


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      1.   remember ariel sharon ... 18:06  |  albert 13/11/07
      2.   What has he achieved by razing Atzmona? Qassams and Katuyshas 18:15  |  Absolute Sweden 13/11/07
      3.   Concessions, yes, but not before the Palestinian leadership is 18:18  |  Dubi 13/11/07
      4.   He Can Give Up One Of HIS Houses 18:22  |  Yishai Kohen 13/11/07
      5.   Palestine Annexes ALL settlements!!!!!!!!! 18:27  |  POP 13/11/07
      6.   Olmert`s double standards 18:40  |  Boycott 13/11/07
      7.   Sharon to 1# 18:47  |  Teacher 13/11/07
      8.   CIVIL WAR IN ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!! 18:53  |  WARRIOR 13/11/07
      9.   The Red Lines are the property of the people. 18:54  |  Akram Zekaria 13/11/07
      10.   Olmert as radical as Khaled Mashaal 18:54  |  Doris Keating 13/11/07
      11.   the biggest mistake Palestinians made 18:56  |  Rose 13/11/07
      12.   Olmert simply saying the obvious out aloud. 19:04  |  Esther 13/11/07
      13.   TERRITORIAL CONSESSIONS IN HOLYLAND BRING BLOODSHED ON BOTH SIDES 19:05  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 13/11/07
      14.   Soon you will all be going home to Israel 19:09  |  Ahmed 13/11/07
      15.   Saying the obvious... 19:11  |  Esther 13/11/07
      16.   RIVERS OF BLOOD WILL FLOW IN THE WORLD 19:21  |  WARRIOR 13/11/07
      17.   # 9: the red line is also the property of Palestinians 19:22  |  Rose 13/11/07
      18.   FIRST CONCESSION:TAKE OLMERT TO COURT 19:22  |  T.Rial 13/11/07
      19.   Give me a break...you`re all insane 19:24  |  kamal 13/11/07
      20.   Olmert. The architect of the Gaza fiasco... 19:27  |  bat yam 13/11/07
      21.   "REFERENDUM" Mr. Hermit 19:28  |  Stephen. 13/11/07
      22.   Warrior, you are too funny! 19:48  |  Ghandi 13/11/07
      23.   land at mt. sinai and vicinity 19:48  |  montgomery rosen 13/11/07
      24.   # 16 WARRIOR, the only thing that will flow in the world..... 20:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/11/07
      25.   Fixed deadline for "concessions", no permenent limbo for Yesha! 20:05  |  Dr. L. Brnd 13/11/07
      26.   Iran Makes Nukes While Israel Concedes 20:09  |  Dave Levy 13/11/07
      27.   To Esther: Steadfast? 20:15  |  Dave Levy 13/11/07
      28.   Concessions will bring Katushas on Tel Aviv (Olmert doesn`t care) 20:22  |  Oiy Oiy Oiy 13/11/07
      29.   Rose #11, biggest mistake was not accepting the `47 lines in `47! 20:35  |  Dr. L. Brnd 13/11/07
      30.   We will be forced to walk to the Gas Chambers 20:43  |  Mike 13/11/07
      31.   Sick Israeli man pelted with rotten avocados 20:43  |  Clickfool 13/11/07
      32.   secular leftists one-sided surrender 21:01  |  Ben-Menachem 13/11/07
      33.   #11 21:45  |  B 13/11/07
      34.   8% popularity of P.M. means referendum needed at once 21:51  |  Ben Menachem 13/11/07
      35.   #17 21:56  |  B 13/11/07
      36.   #19 22:02  |  B 13/11/07
      37.   Olmert: what is the future you envision for Israel? 22:03  |  Alicia 13/11/07
      38.   Mr. Olmert 22:08  |  Gee 13/11/07
      39.   So which Israelis must Sacrifice Their Lives for Empty Promises 22:30  |  Efox 13/11/07
      40.   Re Mike #24 22:31  |  Esther 13/11/07
      41.   re: Ghandi 22:33  |  Efox 13/11/07
      42.   reverse the charges for once 22:33  |  anon emous 13/11/07
      43.   re: POP 22:36  |  Efox 13/11/07
      44.   truth & consequences or lies & catastrophe 22:39  |  war is to win 13/11/07
      45.   re: kamal 22:42  |  Efox 13/11/07
      46.   america forced israel to withdraw from gaza 22:46  |  KATRINA!!!!! 13/11/07
      47.   "... will be forced to make some concessions." 23:00  |  Maureen Ann 13/11/07
      48.   Dear Katrina!!!!!: Israel`s atonement? 23:04  |  David James Vickery 13/11/07
      49.   Mr Dayan and the squatters. 23:05  |  Maureen Ann 13/11/07
      50.   CURSED IS THE MAN WHO TRUSTS IN MAN WHO MAKES FLESH HIS ARM ?? 23:15  |  Bill 13/11/07
      51.   Efox 23:31  |  Ghandi 13/11/07
      52.   #16 Oh Warrior; don`t be so melodramatic! 23:49  |  ballistic 13/11/07
      53.   European Comission is backing Olmert! 00:16  |  Dutch Dirk 14/11/07
      54.   Attn; Efox 00:28  |  POP 14/11/07
      55.   THE L-RD WILL ROAR FROM ZION UTTER HIS VOICE FROM JERUSALEM ?? 00:28  |  Bill 14/11/07
      56.   # 46 00:53  |  Axel 14/11/07
      57.   #48 Ouch David Vickery, Ouch! 00:58  |  ballistic 14/11/07
      58.   to Dr. L. Bmd of San Diego # 29 01:02  |  Judah N. Wenkel 14/11/07
      59.   Of course, people need to make concessions 01:20  |  Dutch 14/11/07
      60.   #5 The Pals gain all the settlements, POP? 01:26  |  Johnboy 14/11/07
      61.   Tel Rumeida 01:27  |  Barak 14/11/07
      62.   "Every grain of soil ..." 01:42  |  Morris Valentine 14/11/07
      63.   POP 01:46  |  Jo Jo 14/11/07
      64.   A day or two ago - the concessions 01:50  |  Mark Lincoln 14/11/07
      65.   concessions 02:04  |  Shmuelshachor 14/11/07
      66.   Peace is possible 02:06  |  Paul Freedman 14/11/07
      67.   Dumb and getting dumber 02:26  |  Danite 14/11/07
      68.   Arabs must make painfull withdrawal for Annapolis success 02:59  |  Joseph E . 14/11/07
      69.   People; We`re stuck with each other 02:59  |  A Bethlehemite 14/11/07
      70.   ROSE #11 03:04  |  JOJO 14/11/07
      71.   DAVID JAMES VICKERY #48 03:14  |  JOJO 14/11/07
      72.   palestinian concessions 03:18  |  real vision 14/11/07
      73.   #49 03:37  |  DANNY 14/11/07
      74.   concessions 06:10  |  colin 14/11/07
      75.   IT WILL BACKFIRE LIKE A BOOMERANG 07:37  |  indrajaya 14/11/07
      76.   Bethlehemite: We`re Not Going Anywhere 07:49  |  Yishai Kohen 14/11/07
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