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Olmert at the Cabinet meeting (Flash 90)
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| By Israel Insider staff December 2, 2007 |
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| (Flash 90) |
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Despite harsh criticism from ministers regarding peace summit's results, the Israeli government eventually voted to support understanding reached by PM Ehud Olmer regarding final-status negotiations with Palestinians.
Shas' ministers opposed the motion and voted against it. Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said that Annapolis was "unnecessary" adding that "we should certainly not talk with the radical Palestinians. We surrender more and more each time."
Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman also slammed the meeting, quipping that West Bank chief Mahmoud Abbas is about as much a representative of the Palestinian people as he himself is a representative of the Norwegians.
Avigdor Lieberman would not be confused with a citizen of Norway. He was heartened, however, by the fact that that Palestinians will never live up to their side of the Roadmap. "The chance that Abbas would be able to control Gaza, as was required of him in Annapolis, is slim," the minister for strategic affairs said.
Several member of Olmert's own Kadima party also slammed the outcome of Annapolis. Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter stressed that Israel should not engage in negotiations over core issues before it is assured that "the Palestinians were keeping their end of the bargain, by fighting terror and establishing a proper law enforcement system."
Not one Hamas member has been tried by the Abbas regime for crimes against Israelis.
Dichter's statement was echoed by Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz: "Some issues should not be discussed until we have made sure that the Palestinians are in control over all the territories under their authority in Judea, Samaria and Gaza."
Livni, Olmert pat themselves on the butt
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni gushed the three major achievements of the Annapolis peace summit are its adherence to the Road Map principles, its flexibility with regard to the core issues at this stage, and its insistence on a 'hands off' policy as far as international involvement is concerned.
She is not known to have referred to the incident in which the Americans tried to slip the Annapolis understanding into a UN Security Council resolution until the Israeli expressed their outrage at this uncoordinated move, eventually forcing the Americans to withdraw the resolution.
"We need to continue as support for moderate Arab leaders who do not view negotiations with Israel as high treason to the Arab cause,? added Livni. She is not known to have discussed the refusal by these "moderate Arab leaders" to shake her hand or even allow her to walk through the same door that they did.
Olmert stated that "Israel should strive to normalize relations with its Arab neighbors effective immediately and not in the distant future." All the Arab states, other than Jordan and Egypt, have indicate that they have no intention to normalize their relations with Israel until it gives in to all of their demands. "I applaud the active participation by so many countries in the peace summit," added Olmert, "especially of those Arab countries that as of yet do not formally recognize Israel."
He was grateful that they would sit in the same room with him.
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