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You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Israeli Foreign Minister Livni Suggests Talks with Abbas Whom Prime Minster Olmert Calls “Powerless” and “Helpless” ”.
Tags: cnn, ehud-olmert, mahmoud-abbas, peace talks, tzipi-livni
I’m not sure what you would recommend Israel do at this point. Any agreement, if it’s to have any force, has to be approved by Hamas because they control the government. I don’t think Olmert meant to insult Abbas as much as he merely pointed out that most of his power has been stripped from him. As far as Olmert’s plan regarding the border, what’s your suggestion?
I’ve said it several times before here: a return to ’67 borders with some border adjustments allowing Israel to incorporate the very biggest settlement blocs. I’d say if Israel absorbed only 2-3% of Palestinian land instead of the 10% or so Olmert proposes under his plan that might be workable. Of course, Israel would exchange this land for Negev land it would give up to the Palestinians.
Tzipi Livni is Olmert’s ‘mouthpiece’ and she’s dismissed Abbas with thinly veiled contempt. Olmert himself has done virtually the same in this CNN interview. How can you possibly believe he didn’t “mean to insult Abbas?” Of course he did. Now, one might argue that he was doing it for domestic consumption in order to mollify the Likud hardliners who’re gunning for him. But I have no doubt that in his heart of hearts Olmert, like Sharon before him, has nothing but contempt for the Palestinians & specifically their elected leaders, including Abbas.