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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at Sunday's cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. (Reuters)
Last update - 10:36 14/01/2008
Barak aides: Olmert reckless in seeking conflict over outposts
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: Ehud Olmert, Israel 

Sources close to Defense Minister Ehud Barak criticized Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday as acting recklessly in seeking conflict with settlers on the issue of unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts.

Olmert told the cabinet earlier Sunday that it is a disgrace that Israel hasn't taken action to remove unauthorized outposts, according to a participant in the meeting.

The sources stated, however, that conflict over the issue is unnecessary as it is possible to reach an agreement with the Yesha Council of Settlements on the evacuation of the outposts, as recent progress in contacts with the council has indicated.
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Under the 2002 U.S.-backed road map peace plan, Israel promised to take down about two dozen of the outposts settlers erected across the West Bank in an attempt to prevent land from being ceded to the Palestinians.

A Peace Now spokesperson told Israel Radio that "since Olmert took office, not a single outpost has been dismantled. Olmert should stop acting like a commentator and start taking action against illegal outposts."

At a news conference with Olmert in Jerusalem last week, U.S. President George W. Bush said that after four years of promises, Israel ought to take action.

"Look, I mean, we've been talking about it for four years," Bush said. "The agreement was, 'Get rid of outposts, illegal outposts,' and they ought to go."

Settlers started putting up outposts across the West Bank after Israel reached its initial peace accords with the Palestinians in the early 1990s, in an effort to break up territory the Palestinians want for a future state. More than 100 outposts - some no more than a hilltop trailer, but others thriving communities of hundreds of people - were built without official authorization.

The road map obligates Israel to take down those erected after March 2001. The government maintains there are about two dozen outposts built after that date. Peace Now puts the number around 50.

"I really hope that Mr. Olmert will honor his commitment as far as settlement freeze and dismantling of settlement outposts and other obligations because what we need now is deeds and not words," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

Just weeks after taking office in January 2006, Olmert sent police to tear down nine unauthorized homes in the Amona outpost. But violent clashes ensued there between police and settlers, and in the two years since, he has taken no serious action against the outposts.

Right-wing members of Olmert's coalition and settlers oppose any action against the outposts, making the issue extremely sensitive at a time when the prime minister is trying to hold together his coalition and make peace with the Palestinians. Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman will meet with Olmert Monday and is expected to tell him he may resign over negotiations with the Palestinians.

In additional to Israel's road map commitment to halt settlement construction and dismantle outposts, the Palestinians are required in the first stage to boost their security forces to fight terror.

Olmert said at the outset of the cabinet meeting on Sunday that U.S. President George Bush, who visited Israel and the West Bank last week, accepts that "no agreement will be implemented in the field without the fulfillment of Palestinian commitments, both in the West Bank and in Gaza."

Olmert also said that Bush said that "though there is one year left in the president's term, I think that even in his last year, he has enormous and extraordinary weight."


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      1.   Olmert is a disgrace, not the outposts. 12:54  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      2.   YOU`RE THE BLOODY PM - SO DO SOMETHING AND TAKE THE BLAME 13:18  |  B`Galil 13/01/08
      3.   THE DISGRACE IS THAT U R STILL IN POWER!!!! 13:34  |  Ben Uziel 13/01/08
      4.   Kadima Krook is moralizing - maybe Ramon can also moralize 13:34  |  Moshe 13/01/08
      5.   to avraham! 13:40  |  aviram 13/01/08
      6.   Palestinians have increased their security forces 13:42  |  Johnny Weintraub 13/01/08
      7.   Olmert you are a disgrace ! 13:51  |  Michael 13/01/08
      8.   Olmert ...remove yourself !!! 13:55  |  Alon 13/01/08
      9.   Outposts are on our holy land. Olmert, you are the disgrace. 13:57  |  Miriam 13/01/08
      10.   Outposts are legally and morally right 14:00  |  Hilda 13/01/08
      11.   The Status of the evacuues from Gaza is a .. 14:02  |  Shlomit 13/01/08
      12.   Bush has 1 year, Olmert has one month ! 14:08  |  Winograd 13/01/08
      13.   Olmert you are already History ! 14:10  |  Albert 13/01/08
      14.   Right...Now Get rid of Them! 14:21  |  MB 13/01/08
      15.   # 1 Avraham 14:31  |  Brian 13/01/08
      16.   Palestinians should invite European mercenaries... 14:35  |  Dutch Dirk 13/01/08
      17.   # 5, to Avraham 14:36  |  Rudy 13/01/08
      18.   Johnny Weintraub In Texas 14:41  |  Johnny 13/01/08
      19.   Remove Olmert not the outposts 14:54  |  rob 13/01/08
      20.   well than.... 15:49  |  rm 13/01/08
      21.   # 1 Both Olmert and illegal outposts are disgraceful 16:03  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/01/08
      22.   Dhimmitude is a disgrace 16:04  |  Teez El-Nabi 13/01/08
      23.   #16dutch dirk on heineken again and soldiers of fiortune 16:06  |  v hardman 13/01/08
      24.   #`s 5, 15 & 17 16:12  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      25.   judea and samaria 16:12  |  muggi 13/01/08
      26.   traitor,olmert is the disgrace 16:16  |  chaim 13/01/08
      27.   The bigger disgrace 16:24  |  Mark Lincoln 13/01/08
      28.   Israeli Squatters are worse than a "disgrace" 16:43  |  POP 13/01/08
      29.   Bush&Olmert violate the word of the Lord.Bush violates Const. 16:58  |  sam 13/01/08
      30.   the disgraced olmert must go 17:17  |  trumpeldor 13/01/08
      31.   Its a disgrace 17:19  |  Edifice 13/01/08
      32.   we must leave the occupied palestinian lands 17:19  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 13/01/08
      33.   #15 Brian - You`re doing a great job of education 17:20  |  * BEN JABO 13/01/08
      34.   #5 aviram - NOT everyone comes from Brooklyn 17:22  |  * BEN JABO 13/01/08
      35.   #28 POP reminds me of POPCORN 17:24  |  * BEN JABO 13/01/08
      36.   Shame on all of you!! 17:26  |  * BEN JABO 13/01/08
      37.   Reply to Johnny in Tennessee (Post 18) 17:35  |  Johnny Weintraub 13/01/08
      38.   Who`s disgrace? 17:41  |  isaac 13/01/08
      39.   Olmert Breaks the Law Publicly - Hypocrite 17:44  |  Tom 13/01/08
      40.   Disgraceful Olmert 17:46  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      41.   Bush also said all terrorist activity ought to stop 17:46  |  Choni Davidowitz 13/01/08
      42.   Long ongoing disgrace... 17:50  |  Esther 13/01/08
      43.   It is NOT a disgrace but an HONOR 17:51  |  Brod 13/01/08
      44.   The legal settlements are even worse 18:12  |  Fritz Teich 13/01/08
      45.   to n.o 34 18:20  |  aviram 13/01/08
      46.   # 17, Avraham to 5, 15, and 17. 18:36  |  John 13/01/08
      47.   To whomever it applies above. 18:37  |  David 13/01/08
      48.   Disgrace 18:39  |  Shalom 13/01/08
      49.   Illegal settlement 18:41  |  Gavriel 13/01/08
      50.   Lets assume for the sake of discussion... 18:41  |  Avi 13/01/08
      51.   #33 Ben Jabo in the USA 18:44  |  Andy 13/01/08
      52.   # 37, Johnny Weintraub 18:48  |  David 13/01/08
      53.   Being in Gaza was a disgrace 18:53  |  Proud Israeli 13/01/08
      54.   How to deal with the illegal outposts 18:57  |  Tosefta 13/01/08
      55.   Ben Jabo, are you 9yrs old? why all the childish name calling? 19:07  |  POP 13/01/08
      56.   The Olmert Government - A Disgrace to all Jews 19:31  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/01/08
      57.   Ben Jabo to Avraham 19:34  |  Chalres 13/01/08
      58.   #1 Avraham 19:35  |  Zolan 13/01/08
      59.   #46 Keep your money, Israel is not for sale! 19:36  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      60.   Ben Jabo`s posts 19:36  |  Linda C 13/01/08
      61.   #22 Teez El-Nabi 19:41  |  Settler-be-Gone 13/01/08
      62.   Avraham #24 19:43  |  James 13/01/08
      63.   To Brod 19:47  |  Mike 13/01/08
      64.   Olmert resign Already At least have The Guts To Do 1 Thing Right 19:50  |  Shepherd 13/01/08
      65.   Interesting, but wrong 19:52  |  Jackie 13/01/08
      66.   #33 Brian re Ben Jabo 19:52  |  ballistic 13/01/08
      67.   #41 Say Choni 19:55  |  ballistic 13/01/08
      68.   #55 Say Pop 19:59  |  ballistic 13/01/08
      69.   Say Ben Jabo re asst posts 20:02  |  ballistic 13/01/08
      70.   #46 John re the Avraham the ingrate 20:32  |  Labhras 13/01/08