Prime Minister Ehud Olmert angered many lawmakers, party members, and citizens in general, regarding his political remarks during a memorial for Yitzchak Rabin.
The outgoing prime minister spoke of the need to make “painful concessions due to not having any alternative, in Arab areas of Jerusalem, and to return to amended pre-1967 borders”.
Olmert stated such a decision must be immediate for fear of support for the current two-state solution process, stating there is a narrow window of opportunity which mustn’t be missed. He stressed that such decision are imperative if we are to preserve a “Jewish and democratic Israel.”
The prime minister called for “developing new Zionism” be moving to and developing the Galil and Negev areas.
Some members of the right-wing, including MKs Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, Prof, Aryeh Eldad and Uri Ariel questioned the relevance of his remarks to the Rabin memorial. They walked out of the Knesset session in protest. Ariel condemned the prime minister’s “cynical use of the memorial session platform to incite against a large segment of the country.” He was referring to Olmert’s remarks regarding the “extremists” and the murder of the prime minister; as well stating a prime minister must “live with the truth,” which he added includes “learning to live without portions of Yehuda, Shomron, Yerushalayim and the Golan Heights.
Olmert warned that today, we are witness that the incitement has not abated and the hate has not faded.
Shas leader and Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai expressed his disapproval of Olmert’s comments, which he stated just bring testimony to Olmert’s willingness to compromise on the Jewish capital.
Kadima leader and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni stated the outgoing prime minister’s remarks do not in any way reflect the policies of Kadima.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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6 Responses
The first question to ask is what will Israel get in return. In return for withdrawal from Gaza, the Arabs shelled Sderot, suggest Olmert wasn’t especially clever. Should Israel insist that any withdrawals be preceeded by an end to Islamic anti-Jewish propaganda and attacks on a worldwide basis? What about a prohibition of hostile military forces with a radius of several hundred miles from Israel? How about Israel being reimbursed for rebuilding destroyed communities, in advance? How about an agreement to limit Islamic forces (including Iran) to something Israel can handle, with inspection? How about insisting the Arab rights on Har ha-Bayis reciprocate Jewish rights in Hevron? If Israelis are expelled from the West Bank, should Arabs (at least anti-zionist ones) leave Israel?
On the other hand, Israel has a problem. The Arabs are steadily industrializing. While the Israeli elites are high tech, they are inclined to be post-zionist. Israel is increasing populated by frum Jews who are unable to run (or defend) the country without the secular high tech elites, who in turn hate Orthodox Jews. If we expel the hilonim, Israel’s economy, and technological edge, collapse, and Israel may be unable to survive militarily. The hilonim want to expel (or otherwise destroy the hareidim), but without us Israel has a rapdily declining population. SO MAYBE NOW IS A TIME FOR ISRAEL TO GET THE BEST DEAL IT CAN AS LONG AS IT IS SHORT OF SUICIDE. Perhaps Israel can survive in the long turn (though no secular Jewish movement ever lasts very long, and zionism appears to be dying, as have all frei movements in the past), but Olmert might not be wrong in wanting to surrender now while Israel has some bargaining chips.
Dear Mr. Olmert,
Your comments are no different than those who started the medina. As I recall they were quite happy in getting land in Ethiopia or someplace like that in the event they didnt get Eretz Yisroel. Of course the reason is the same as yours… because they had no torahdik connection with the land.
You say there is a need to make “painful concessions due to not having any alternative, in Arab areas of Jerusalem, and to return to amended pre-1967 borders”. Why is there “no alternative?” Would that be because you dug the yiddin in EY into such a deep hole, you cant get them out b’derech ha’teva?
וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶת־כָּל־הַגֹּויִם וְהֹורַדְתִּים אֶל־עֵמֶק יְהֹושָׁפָט וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי עִםָּם שָׁם עַל־עַמִּי וְנַחֲלָתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר פִּזְּרוּ בַגֹּויִם וְאֶת־אַרְצִי חִלֵּקוּ׃
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
The L-RD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the L-RD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
The best part of this article is the picture of Olmert. It was probably his reaction to Livni’s comments about his speech. 🙂
The best part of this article is Olmert’s picture. It was probably his reaction to Livni’s comments. 🙂
Excellent picture…