JERUSALEM, July 28, 2008
Olmert: Mideast Peace "Unlikely" in 2008
Israeli Prime Minister Dashes Bush Administration Hopes For Deal With Palestinians This Year
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In this photo released by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert heads the weekly Cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office, July 27, 2008. (AP/GPO, Amos Ben Gershom, HO)
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An Israeli soldier opens the gate of Rosh Hanikra border crossing between Israel and Lebanon in northern Israel, Tuesday July 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Interactive Mideast Conflict Events, key players and a history of the world's most unstable region.
CBS News correspondent Robert Berger reports the main sticking point, according to Olmert, is the status of Jerusalem.
Speaking to the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Olmert said conflicting claims to Jerusalem were unlikely to be resolved that quickly, although gaps on other key issues, such as borders and the future of Palestinian refugees, were not as wide.
"I don't believe that understandings that will include Jerusalem can be reached this year," an official present at the closed-door committee meeting quoted him as saying. "There is no practical chance of reaching an overall understanding on Jerusalem."
The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the committee does not formally release details of its meetings to the media.
At a U.S.-sponsored peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland last year, Israel and the Palestinians pledged to seek a peace agreement by the end of 2008, shortly before Bush leaves office in January. In recent months the sides have begun to scale back the goal, saying only the outline of a peace deal was possible in that time frame.
However, Olmert's comment on Monday was the clearest indication yet that the Israeli leadership sees the timeline as unrealistic.
Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeineh said Olmert's comments showed Israel had given up on its promise.
"This is a clear violation of the Annapolis agreement," he said. "It's prejudging the result before the end of the year. We still have six months, and that means Israel isn't serious about reaching an agreement according to Annapolis and Bush's vision."
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Aide to Mahmoud Abbas
Prospects for a peace deal have been hampered by Hamas militants' takeover of the Gaza Strip, a weak Palestinian leadership in the West Bank and a string of corruption probes in Israel that are threatening to topple Olmert.Israel isn't serious about reaching an agreement according to Annapolis and Bush's vision.
Nabil Abu Rdeineh,Aide to Mahmoud Abbas
Other related developments:
Referring to recent attacks on Israelis in Jerusalem by local Palestinians of the city, Olmert said there was no way of preventing such incidents as long as the approximately 270,000 Arab residents - about one-third of the city's population of 750,000 - retain the freedom of movement they have at present.
"If we continue the present situation we must take into account that residents of Jerusalem can move freely around the entire country and there is no way of knowing what they might do," the official quoted him as saying. "There will be bulldozers, trucks and private cars and no way of preventing terror attacks of this kind."
Last week a Palestinian rammed a construction truck into three cars and a bus in downtown Jerusalem, injuring five people before he was shot dead by a passer-by.
Earlier this month another Palestinian plowed his front-end loader into a string of vehicles and pedestrians on a busy Jerusalem street. Three people were killed in that attack and dozens were wounded before an off-duty soldier shot and killed the assailant.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in 1967, annexing it and granting Jerusalem's Palestinians Israeli ID cards - unlike Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. An explosive sticking point is the Old City, home to holy sites claimed by both sides.
In past peace talks, the fate of Jerusalem proved to be the biggest stumbling block to any agreement.
Israel's West Bank separation barrier cuts off some outlying Arab neighborhoods from the city but in the wake of the recent attacks, some prominent Israelis, including Vice Premier Haim Ramon, have urged that the barrier be rerouted to bar more Arab sections.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Uss Liberty release of the tapes (what we calll the black box) Read! and learn!
The NSA on Tuesday released audiotapes of Israeli pilots and ground control speaking in Hebrew, along with English transcripts.
The recordings were made by a nearby American surveillance aircraft in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
"For your info, it is apparently an Arab ship," says ground control.
"Roger," says the pilot.
"It is an Egyptian supply ship," says ground control.
"Roger," comes the response.
The NSA released the tapes and transcripts under the Freedom of Information Act in response to a request from Miami Judge Jay Cristol - Reply to this comment
- This is only your opinion and speculation...by the way... read again...I said google it not wikipedia!and google have many trustworthy sites.
You just feel that way about this group of people and are reading to speculations and not facts...or you must be in the US military and/or IDF !!! NOT!!
The israelis and palestinians deserve peace... it was accomplished with Egypt and Jordan...even if they don''t agree in everything (not getting into details)..it is possible... but there''s no honesty or strong leadership on the palestinian side...peace doesnt seem to come by soon...have a great day!
Lets believe what google says, its always right! haha. Do us all a favor and dont reply to messages if you havent got all YOUR facts right. Offical reports say it was an accident (but only because both countries seem to be in bed together) but reports from all members of military that were there admit it was intentional.
Posted by azman80 - Reply to this comment
- In case you wanted some more proof.
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_Friendless_0603,00.html. Read all the articles in there. We were attacked by Israel. Our friendly ally - Reply to this comment
- Plllleeeaaasssseee!!! Do us all a favor and google the incident..you''''ll see it was an accident..admitted by the israelis...same way we have done it in wars.
Lets believe what google says, its always right! haha. Do us all a favor and dont reply to messages if you havent got all YOUR facts right. You end up annoying people like myself with your wikipedia''d responses. Offical reports say it was an accident (but only because both countries seem to be in bed together) but reports from all members of military that were there admit it was intentional.
"US military and intelligence agencies are unanimous in finding that the Israeli attack was %u201Cdeliberate and unprovoked.%u201D That quote comes from the mouth of the military at the time and from Mr. Garthoff ( U.S. Ambassador) and many other generals that had WITNESSED the "crime". "For the last 4 decades Israel and her supporters in the US government have bellowed ''case closed'' and have raked over the coals on anyone -including the survivors of the attack themselves- from arguing otherwise."
So you have everyone that was there saying it was intentional but the offical report says it was an accident! The offical report is that I was right!!! Have a good day :) - Reply to this comment
- Is it only few logical people or most of you see it??
"Prospects for a peace deal have been hampered by Hamas militants'' takeover of the Gaza Strip, a weak Palestinian leadership in the West Bank..."
There was supposed to be a truce and rockets are still being fired from Gaza...breaking their promise once and again for the 101 time.
Hamas and Fatah are torturing and killing each other...where is the compassion, unity and plain loyalty among their own??? Not surprising.
If they don''t trust or are loyal between each other....do not expect it with anyone else.
I agree with most of you...
Peace keeps becoming a far far away goal when there is no strong leadership,no honesty in that leadership and no willingness to look for common grounds.
If we were on the israeli situation we would not give an inch of land or agree on the capital to a group which keeps proving day by day that they could not be trusted... is just a matter of life or death. - Reply to this comment
- DOES ANYONE REMEMBER ISRAEL ATTACKING THE USS LIBERTY BACK DURING THE 6 DAY WAR IN ''''67. YEAH, THATS RIGHT, 34 SERVICEMEN DIED. I THOUGHT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT OBLITERATES ANYONE THAT ATTACKS US, YET WE BOW DOWN AND SERVE THEM HAND AND FOOT.
Posted by azman80
Plllleeeaaasssseee!!! Do us all a favor and google the incident..you''ll see it was an accident..admitted by the israelis...same way we have done it in wars. - Reply to this comment
- DOES ANYONE REMEMBER ISRAEL ATTACKING THE USS LIBERTY BACK DURING THE 6 DAY WAR IN ''67. YEAH, THATS RIGHT, 34 SERVICEMEN DIED. I THOUGHT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT OBLITERATES ANYONE THAT ATTACKS US, YET WE BOW DOWN AND SERVE THEM HAND AND FOOT.
- Reply to this comment
- Olmert: "Mideast peace? Not likely. Without turmoil we get no billions in aide and weapons from the United States. Sorry, I really don''t see peace for a long, long, l----o----n----g---------- time."
- Reply to this comment
- Getoffmine says "Gates omits Israel from ''close'' US allies." Israel only takes and never gives. They only fight when it is in their own direct interest and never to support allies for the broader cause. It makes good sense to not rely on them as allies.
- Reply to this comment
- You can''''t make peace with war mongers - they just will NOT accept peace as an outcome.
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Posted by hungry1968 at 08:21 AM
Hey, they''re coming for your land, give it up in the name of piece, remember love gets piece (of land) - Reply to this comment
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