Israeli Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday that he was ready to take unilateral steps to nail down borders with the Palestinians if there was "no reasonable chance" for the resumption of peace talks.

"We waited a reasonable time. If we see there is no reasonable chance (for the resumption of talks), we will take our fate in our own hands," Olmert told Israel Channel 10 Television in a pre- election interview, stressing readiness to take unilateral steps to draw Israel's borders.

"We have to solve the problem ourselves, not to become a hostage to the Palestinians and decide when things will happen and what will happen," he added.

Olmert also said that any party who was willing to join a Kadima-led coalition government after the March 28 general elections must support his plan for further withdrawals in the West Bank.

"Only parties that support this new agenda will be part of our coalition," he said.

Asked for his response if the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas), which is to head the next Palestinian government, changes its policy and recognizes Israel, Olmert said that if the representatives of the Palestinians "fulfilled all of their obligations and stopped terrorism", Israel would hold negotiations.

Olmert has already announced that he wanted to draw Israel's borders in four years by withdrawing from large parts of the West Bank and dismantling small settlements either through negotiations or unilateral moves. He has also vowed to retain large West Bank settlements.

Olmert's statements on Wednesday came less than a week before the March elections as polls predict his centrist Kadima party will win the most seats.

Meanwhile, Hamas, which vows to continue to fight Israel, has completed forming a new Palestinian government, which is expected to go to the parliament for approval soon.

Long time ally with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who has remained comatose since a Jan. 4 stroke, Olmert has been a staunch supporter to Sharon's unilateral withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank last summer.

Source: Xinhua