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Peace Process

Olmert, desperate for Annapolis, gives in to Rice


By Stan Goodenough
November 19, 2007

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has made achieving "meaningful" progress in the quest for peace with the "Palestinians" one of the top goals of his administration, Monday moved desperately to try prevent the cancellation of the Annapolis conference that is set for next week.

Early in the day, Olmert’s cabinet approved the release of 441 Arab terrorists as a gesture intended to show Israel’s good faith.

The decision was made despite the opposition of IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Olmert then announced his intention to ensure that no more Jewish communities would be established in the Arab-coveted Jewish lands known as the West Bank.

And as a further concession to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice – who on a visit to the region last week told the prime minister she expected Israel to make more concessions ahead of the US-sponsored Annapolis media event later this month – the Israeli agreed to raze any Jewish homes designated as "illegal" settlement outposts.

Later in the day, Olmert met with PLO/PA terrorist chief Mahmoud Abbas in an apparent effort to get at least some similar show of "good faith" from the Palestinian Arab side.

Without elaborating, a spokesman for Olmert said after the meeting that there had been some "progress."

Opposition Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the government for "conceding and conceding without receiving a thing in return."

Israel wants "a sane peace, not a surreal peace," he said.

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