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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaking at a press conference Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Reuters)
Last update - 10:38 13/02/2008
Olmert: Significant progress possible on borders of Palestinian state
By Barak Ravid and Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondents and AP
Tags: Olmert, Abbas, PA, Israel

BERLIN and WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says it is possible to advance significantly the resolution of the issue of borders in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, in spite of a shared concern by officials of both sides, and the United States, as to their ability to realistically achieve a detailed agreement by the end of 2008.

The prime minister is convinced that the question of borders is the simplest of the three "core issues" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - the other two being refugees and Jerusalem - and said that sufficient preparatory work had been done for progress to be achieved.

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If we do not want to run straight into an impasse, it is best to begin negotiating over other issues [not Jerusalem and the refugees] like borders," Olmert told reporters in Berlin after completing a three-day official visit to Germany.

"On this issue there is a set of previous understandings and international backing, such as the letter of President Bush which mentioned concentrations of population. All this offers a direction to the resolution of the issue of borders," Olmert added.

Next week Olmert will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as part of their routine meetings overseeing the negotiations.

Olmert also told reporters that there is an agreement with the Palestinians to delay talks on Jerusalem until the end of the negotiations.

To date it had only been clear that this was a view held by Israel and the U.S. alone.

"The matter of Jerusalem is not first but last in terms of the order in which the core issues will be discussed and there is agreement by all parties involved in the negotiations," the prime minister said.

According to Olmert there are no delays in the talks between Israel and the PA.

"There are regular talks between [Palestinian negotiator] Abu Ala [Ahmed Qureia] and other parties, and this is necessary," Olmert said. "I hear that there are expressions of satisfaction at the seriousness with which the talks are progressing," he added.

But officials in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the U.S. seem to agree that a detailed peace agreement is unlikely this year because of the difficulties on the ground and the slow pace of negotiations.

A senior source in Washington told Haaretz Monday that efforts to coordinate expectations had begun, but there had been no change of heart on the ultimate goal of the process.

Among the obstacles slowing negotiations are the constant barrages of Qassam rockets on Israel, the Palestinians' breach of the border wall at Rafah last month and the subsequent chaos there, as well as the recent suicide bombing in Dimona.

Vice Premier Haim Ramon said Tuesday that the talks with the Palestinians aimed for an agreement of principles and not necessarily a detailed deal by the end of the year.

"No one expects a detailed agreement by January 1, 2009," he said.

Olmert echoed his political ally Tuesday, saying that "from the very onset, there was no commitment on the part of Israel and the Palestinians to reach an agreement during 2008, instead there was talk about making effort, and this is still being done."

Still, Olmert insisted that "there is no wish or desire to leave the completion of the negotiations to a new American president."

President George Bush's second term in office ends on January 20, 2009.

"I don't see any Israeli interest in delaying the negotiations and I have not heard any arguments calling for delaying by a year because this would perhaps improve conditions," Olmert added.

However, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who visited Washington for meetings that included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, warned Monday that it was time to demonstrate progress in the talks.

"Unless there is tangible progress in the period immediately ahead" on a list of pledges made by Israel, "I think, honestly, it would require that we begin to really call this for what it is," Fayyad said.

Fayyad said that his role was to ensure that the diplomatic negotiations were carried out in parallel with progress in implementing the road map.

The Palestinian prime minister said that Israel was far from implementing its part in the road map and complained of continued settlement activity, "mostly around Jerusalem." He also said that not enough road blocks had been lifted in the West Bank.

But Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads Israel's negotiating team, warned Sunday that it would be impossible to reach an agreement as long as Hamas militants control the Gaza Strip.

"There is no hope for any kind of peace or the vision of the Palestinian state which includes the Gaza Strip without real change on the ground," Livni told The Associated Press.

"Annapolis took place in November. We are now in February 2008," Fayyad said. "We need to begin to see progress, most certainly, in the hope that we are going to be able to reach agreement in 2008, and I hope that will be possible."

Merkel backs Israel on Gaza

The situation in the Gaza Strip and the continued rocket attacks against Israeli communities was one of the issues Olmert discussed with Chancellor Angela Merkel during his visit to Germany.

At a press conference following their meeting, Merkel backed Israel's response to the Hamas rocket attacks and said that "the solution to the suffering of the residents of Gaza is an end to the rocket attacks."

Merkel justified Israel's military operations in the Strip and said that "I think that the fact that there is terrorism originating from Gaza raises questions about how to respond and how to prevent Hamas from carrying this out. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is difficult and we are trying to help as much as possible but first the shooting against Israeli towns must stop."


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      1.   Olmert is weak 03:43  |  Dr. Karl Richman 13/02/08
      2.   YES OK HERE IS MY PROPOSAL ON BORDERS OK : 03:49  |  MOE 13/02/08
      3.   Close the deal under Bush, or under the next President 04:02  |  Pablo B 13/02/08
      4.   Only the Satan would crumble under fire and bring in more DEATH 04:03  |  Jeff 13/02/08
      5.   Ehud, borders and ehud 04:17  |  marcel 13/02/08
      6.   Well, yeah, except..... 04:27  |  Johnboy 13/02/08
      7.   Bush is Pro Israel???? 04:57  |  James 13/02/08
      8.   World Jewry must save Israel. Israelis are now fully brain dead. 05:10  |  Alon 13/02/08
      9.   No, MOE #2, Ariel doesn`t cut up W. Bank. We all have maps, too. 05:48  |  Dr. L. Brnd 13/02/08
      10.   Border issues first 05:49  |  Mo 13/02/08
      11.   NO TO NEW ISLAMIC STATE 06:16  |  BOB KING THE ZIONIST 13/02/08
      12.   # 5 MARCEL 06:21  |  BOB KING THE ZIONIST 13/02/08
      13.   MOE proposal 06:39  |  Greg 13/02/08
      14.   That`s What Radical Extremist Leftist Beilin Said On TV 06:42  |  Joseph E . post 1 13/02/08
      15.   "They shout peace and there is no peace but for the wicked" . 06:43  |  Joseph E . post 2 13/02/08
      16.   Core Issue Number 4.. ? 06:52  |  juniper 13/02/08
      17.   For DOV ALFON 07:04  |  Steve 13/02/08
      18.   is he not paying attention? 07:14  |  B. 13/02/08
      19.   Abbas hasn`t the authority to make any deals 07:18  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08
      20.   #9 Dr BRND 07:30  |  MOE 13/02/08
      21.   #16 juniper 07:31  |  Israel_is_Done 13/02/08
      22.   Olmert lied to Shas and is continuing to everyone! 07:40  |  redmike 13/02/08
      23.   Kadima Olmert Gov`t Rewards Arabs Terror 07:46  |  Joseph . E 13/02/08
      24.   Tosefta, what have you to say about this? 07:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/02/08
      25.   Time to Trade Horses (or Dunams) 08:14  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/02/08
      26.   Johnboy - 1st try 08:19 HT 08:19  |  BBSNews 13/02/08
      27.   he better not be serious 08:30  |  Empresaria 13/02/08
      28.   offcourse borders are easy 08:36  |  rm 13/02/08
      29.   Progress??? WHO IS OUR PARTNER??? 08:45  |  Ben Uziel 13/02/08
      30.   time for olmert to leave the stage 08:53  |  v hardman 13/02/08
      31.   Egypt: Set Palestinian State Borders Before Negotiations 09:05  |  Joseph E . post 1 13/02/08
      32.   Egypt: Set Palestinian State Borders Before Negotiations 09:06  |  Joseph E . post 2 13/02/08
      33.   The Work has Already been Done 09:12  |  Yosef ben Shalom 13/02/08
      34.   Zelikow Equal Mubarak`s Last Week NIXED Idea 09:13  |  Joseph E . post 1 13/02/08
      35.   Lavrov: Russia will try to lift embargo on PA government 09:20  |  Joseph . E 13/02/08
      36.   Cipora - My thinking on the refugee issue has evolved 09:22  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/02/08
      37.   THERE WILL NEVER BE A PALESTINIAN STATE! BECAUSE............... 09:40  |  THE LIBRARIAN 13/02/08
      38.   To Dr Karl Richman 09:41  |  trumpeldor 13/02/08
      39.   Abbas accuses EU of discriminating against PA, being pro-Israel 09:57  |  Joseph . E 13/02/08
      40.   We should not give up our strategic assets. 10:03  |  Jean Van Daem 13/02/08
      41.   #3 Pablo B 10:09  |  * BEN JABO 13/02/08
      42.   #7 CC Fla 10:12  |  * BEN JABO 13/02/08
      43.   the borders are easy 10:24  |  amir yoffe 13/02/08
      44.   Border Solution - Pals should cross the border to Jordan or Egypt 10:24  |  n 13/02/08
      45.   on jerusalem not all is at it seems 10:26  |  amir yoffe 13/02/08
      46.   johnboy there are more serious problems 10:32  |  zevulun 13/02/08
      47.   Get this savant out of office before he destroys this land 10:39  |  SLAVO 13/02/08
      48.   A PREDICTION 10:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/02/08
      49.   CNN and BBS 11:02  |  BBSNews 13/02/08
      50.   What are the Palis negotiating on 11:37  |  Sabra 13/02/08
      51.   Reply to Pablo B (Post No. 3) 11:37  |  Johnny Weintraub 13/02/08
      52.   Pure propaganda 11:40  |  Murray 13/02/08
      53.   Core issues 11:40  |  Edith 13/02/08
      54.   Test case 11:46  |  Edith 13/02/08
      55.   TO SUPPORT PALESTINIANS = TO MAKE ISRAEL MEET GREAT FUTURE 12:00  |  atilla karagözoğlu 13/02/08
      56.   IF YOU REALY LOVE ISRAEL ! THAN FIGHT TO HER, TODAY 12:01  |  ... 13/02/08
      57.   DONT LET ISRAEL MAKES SAME MISTAKES AS IN HISTORY 12:01  |  ... 13/02/08
      58.   ISRAEL DOESNT DESERVE A CHEAP END 12:02  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      59.   THIS ISRAEL WILL CHANGE. 12:02  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      60.   THIS ISRAEL WILL WIN 12:03  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      61.   CHANGING IS GOOD 12:03  |  atilla karagözoğlu 13/02/08
      62.   # 48 Kohn 12:04  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08
      63.   LETS MAKE ISRAEL LIKE LIGHT, IT IS POSSIBLE 12:04  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      64.   I CARRY GUN 24 HOURS BECAUSE OF MY STANDING FOR ISRAEL 12:05  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      65.   I CRY NOW 12:05  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      66.   CANT YOU HEAR ? 12:06  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      67.   WE WONT LET YOU RAPE GREAT ISRAEL 12:06  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 13/02/08
      68.   HUMAN RIGHTS ! NO OTHER IMPORTANT 12:07  |