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Opposition leader and Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu. (Limor Ederi) Last update - 00:07 18/04/2008 Netanyahu: Abbas-Olmert peace deal will be invalid By Haaretz Service Tags: Ehud Olmert  Opposition leader and Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu hinted Thursday that if he were to be elected prime minister, he would not honor any peace agreement struck between current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, if one should be achieved. "The agreement that Olmert will or will not achieve is no more than a cynical invalid deal - not in legal terms, but in terms of reality," Netanyahu said in an interview with the right wing affiliated newspaper Makor Rishon. Olmert and Abbas promised U.S. President George W. Bush to try to reach a peace deal by the end of the year. Advertisement Netanyahu said in the interview that he would regard general elections as a referendum on the potential peace deal, saying "then the public would be the judge." "If they [Olmert's Kadima] win the election - fine. But if they don't, they can't force upon the public, in a cynical and manipulative manner, something the public is not interested in," he added. In response to the question whether he would honor a peace agreement calling for the division of Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinians, Netanyahu said "I can say with certainty that I will not divide Jerusalem." Netanyahu went on to say that he felt he had made an error in failing to establish a national unity government following his victory in the 1996 elections. According to him, he feared that a unity government, in cooperation with the rival Labor Party, would result in a 'two-headed monster', but said that "I have since learned to appreciate [then-Labor chairman] Shimon Peres on a personal level in a different way than I did back then. Today I think that we should have established a unity government, especially in light of the awful polarization that resulted from the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin" in 1995. Olmert, in an interview with Haaretz to be published in full Friday, said that Netanyahu is competent enough to serve as prime minister, but that he is "unsuitable because of his views." "He is an intelligent man with many abilities, but we saw what happened when he was prime minister. I fear very much that Netanyahu's political views, his stance on crucial issues that determine the fate of Israel, make him unsuitable to be prime minister," Olmert concluded. Related articles: Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel Netanyahu: Israel's government has no leadership or direction Netanyahu: No PA partner for peace, PM's partner is virtual Netanyahu: Olmert government taking measures to cede Jerusalem Bookmark to del.icio.us   A gentleman's word Olmert tells Haaretz he knows Iran won't have nuclear capacity. Farewell to arms B'Tselem says IDF must ban wide-range shell that killed civilians in Gaza.   1.   Israel complains about Hamas not honoring.... 20:52  |  R 17/04/08   2.   The face of fascism 20:59  |  Danite 17/04/08   3.   Election would be referendum, correct 21:02  |  Niqnaq (Rowan) 17/04/08   4.   Netanyahu is a demagogue 21:07  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 17/04/08   5.   geee w/clever leaders like yahoo how can you fail? 21:10  |  all insane 17/04/08   6.   PEACE TREATY WITH 3 YOUNG JEWSIH BOYS DEAD 21:16  |  HAL TRIPP 17/04/08   7.   Bibi is a joke! 21:19  |  Proudest Zionist 17/04/08   8.   awful polarisation and rabin assassination 21:37  |  Phil 17/04/08   9.   Bibi who? 21:43  |  LAUGHTER!!! 17/04/08   10.   ARabs will not honor any agreements - it make Nataniaghu`s job ea 21:45  |  AlexK 17/04/08   11.   Don`t be concerned 21:58  |  Natallie Durson 17/04/08   12.   Nobody would trust of believe this creep whatever he said 22:14  |  Chanalau, Tova 17/04/08   13.   3 jewish boys... 22:16  |  Marco 17/04/08   14.   Any peace deal should be supported by large majority of Israel 22:25  |  Sam 17/04/08   15.   Abbas-Olmert peace deal will be invalid 22:36  |  Ralph 17/04/08   16.   Netanyahu needs to see the light 22:48  |  Benny 17/04/08   17.   He has a point 22:52  |  Alex 17/04/08   18.   Please.....don`t elect him ever 22:57  |  Lynn 17/04/08   19.   We need a Moderate religous party 23:17  |  Greg Ben-Greg 17/04/08   20.   Jesus! These people are damn proud!!!! 23:18  |  Akiva P. 17/04/08   21.   Danite @2 23:19  |  GABE1 17/04/08   22.   The Arab conscience silently acquiesces,... 23:25  |  Akiva P. 17/04/08   23.   Gabe1 23:57  |  Danite 17/04/08   24.   He`s right about one thing ... 00:04  |  Victor 18/04/08   25.   re Danite #2 00:09  |  Paul 18/04/08   26.   ABBAS-OLMERT "DEAL". 00:13  |  LJF-CANADA 18/04/08   27.   Re Danite #6 00:17  |  Esther 18/04/08   28.   Bibi is flailing around indiscriminately... 00:23  |  Esther 18/04/08   29.   Netanyahu`s bullishness 00:36  |  Nezam el Jenini 18/04/08   30.   Doctoral defense in Moscow 01:00  |  Elihu 18/04/08   31.   Allowance must be made for Mr Netanyahu. 01:04  |  Maureen Ann 18/04/08   32.   Synagogues in Tehran destroyed 01:24  |  Jeff 18/04/08   33.   he has a lot in common with hamas 01:28  |  jon 18/04/08   34.   Yesterday 1 bad statement, today the worst from Bibi 01:53  |  Mark Stein 18/04/08   35.   Right on the mark 01:58  |  Brod 18/04/08   36.   Any Olmert/Abbas peace deal would be validated... 02:01  |  Johnboy 18/04/08   37.   What A Stupid Thing To Say, Benjamin Netanyahu 02:13  |  Jeff Northridge 18/04/08   38.   Why do we fault people who hate terror??? 02:16  |  DR 18/04/08   39.   same old same old 02:17  |  Space 18/04/08   40.   #14 Sam. Peace won`t come as the result of a treaty. 02:27  |  Chaim 18/04/08   41.   #8 Phil. We must get to the bottom of the Rabin assassination. 02:33  |  Chaim 18/04/08   42.   To Natallie Durson 03:00  |  Oleg 18/04/08   43.   Netanyahu - get lost! 03:03  |  JIm 18/04/08   44.   To Natallie Durson 03:05  |  OIeg 18/04/08   45.   Paul 03:09  |  danite 18/04/08   46.   Gabe1 03:09  |  Danite 18/04/08   47.   Netanyahu is dangerous to Israel 04:16  |  Jerry 18/04/08   48.   #6 dont you mean 3 young jewish murders? 04:40  |  sam 18/04/08   49.   This is rebellion 11:53  |  rollie 18/04/08   50.   Lose the caps, get a life 17:26  |  David 18/04/08

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