Word: olmert
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JERICHO, WEST BANK Olmert, Abbas hold historic peace meeting...
...military is clearly concerned that the Hebron mini-insurrection may be a warning of what could occur on a wider scale if Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tries to remove some of dozens oF illegal settlements in the West Bank, as demanded by the international community and the United States. Tuesday's operation, after all, involved the eviction of only two families, but required over 3,000 troops and policemen. The evacuation of an entire settlement, some officers say privately, could lead to widespread dissent within the army ranks...
...Palestinians in Hebron, whose lives are turned inside out by Israeli security measures to protect the handful of Jewish settlers living near the Tomb of the Patriarchs, said that while they were relieved to see the settlers evicted, they doubted that it represented a tougher stance by Olmert. "These families will be back," one Arab resident remarked grimly after watching the early morning tussle between police and Jewish settlers. Angered by the provocative presence of the right-wing Israelis in their midst, many Hebron Palestinians have turned to militants of their own, choosing candidates of the Islamist Hamas movement...
...have made no secret of their reluctance to discuss the most contentious issues at this stage. That doesn't bode well for Bush's summit. Privately, one minister's aide described Rice's trip as "about as useful as grinding dust," but he said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government had to go through the motions of complying with Washington. Politically, Olmert is too weak to be starting closing down the West Bank settlements that house around 250,000 Israelis. Also, Israelis doubt that Abbas, especially after his defeat in Gaza, can deliver on promises to curb attacks...
...Israelis toughened their negotiating stance believing that with international sanctions squeezing Gaza, Hamas might be desperate to strike a deal. And Hamas has certainly exhibited a new willingness to bargain: exactly a year after Shalit's kidnapping, his captors released an audio tape of the soldier pleading for Olmert to do more to release...