Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told cabinet ministers at the weekly government meeting on Sunday that he was ready to sign a deal but PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) was unwilling. Olmert added “if we haven’t reached an agreement until now, it is due to the fears and the lack of true desire of the Palestinians…everything else is a diversion intended to distract us from the main point”.

PA officials responded angrily to the prime minister’s statements, calling them “a lie”, adding “there is no basis for the Israeli prime minister’s remarks”.

Official PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina added, “We can only express sorrow over the fact the Israeli prime minister opts to hide behind excuses and his words contain inaccuracies regarding the peace negotiations between Israel and the PA”.

During the weekly meeting, most likely the current administration’s last, Olmert spoke of the “countless important, significant, decisive and critical measures taken for Israel’s good in the area of security”.

Mr. Olmert added he does not plan to elaborate above that which is generally reported in newspapers, both in Israel and abroad.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)