PM Joins Growing Consensus Against Unilateral Withdrawal, by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz & Hana Levi Julian (Israel National News)
Excerpts;
“Olmert explained his new position to the Chinese interviewer by reference to the Israeli withdrawals from Lebanon in 2000 and from Gaza in 2005, both of which, he said, encouraged terrorism and increased the likelihood of war.”
“A year ago, I believed that we would be able to do this unilaterally,” he told reporters ahead of a three-day trip to China, which began Tuesday morning. “However, it should be said that our experience in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip is not encouraging. We pulled out of Lebanon unilaterally, and see what happened. We pulled out of the Gaza Strip completely, to the international border, and every day they are firing Kassam rockets at Israelis. Under the existing circumstances, it would be more practical to achieve a two-state solution through negotiations rather than [unilateral] withdrawal.”
Commentary;
What new insight does Olmert now have? And can, or would his corrupt regime ever begin to settle their account and their debt to the Jews of Gush Katif and the Shomron? Why no mention of or remorse for his abject persecution of religious Jews? MB