Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Monday told the parliament that his country would have to make painful concessions to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, mass-selling daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on its website.
"I ... prefer the risks of peace over the agonies of war," he said in a speech at the opening of the Knesset's winter session.
Olmert said Israel would have to give up on some of its deeply held desires, an apparent reference to holding on to the West Bank, another popular daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.
Olmert added, "The Palestinians will have to deal with the need to concede part of their dreams in order to build with us a realistic, if not ideal, if not perfect future of peace and security."
Olmert said he planned to make every effort to pursue peace with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, adding that the current Palestinian leadership wants to move forward toward peace with Israel.
"The current Palestinian leadership is not a terrorist leadership. Abu Mazen (Abbas) and (caretaker Palestinian) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad are committed to all the agreements signed with Israel," he was quoted by Ha'aretz as saying.
"They want to move ahead together with us on a route that will bring about a change in the reality of relations between us and them," he said.
Olmert also said he has developed a good working relationship with Abbas during recent meetings, which have been held in preparations for a U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference slated for next month.
"An atmosphere of personal trust has been created," Olmert said. "I want to serve notice here, in the most resolute way possible, that I do not intend to look for excuses to block a diplomatic process."
On July 16, U.S. President George W. Bush proposed to hold an international peace conference this fall, which would include Israel, the Palestinians, and some neighboring Arab states, to help resume the stalled Middle East peace talks.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article