Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was reportedly furious with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz after the latter declared Tuesday morning Israel has already decided east Jerusalem's Arabs will take part in the upcoming Palestinian elections, even before a government decision on the matter was taken.
Mofaz subsequently apologized to Olmert and said the remarks were misunderstood.
"I meant to say this was my view and not that of the State of Israel," the defense minister said in a phone call to Olmert aimed at clarifying the matter.
A senior source at the Prime Minister's Office said "Olmert was infuriated with Mofaz" over his remarks. The soured said Mofaz called Olmert Tuesday afternoon and said he did not mean to speak on behalf of the government. During the phone conversation the matter was resolved, the source noted.
"Mofaz was wrong and caused embarrassment and anger, and it's good he called to clarify the matter," a source at the PM's Office said.
The incident started after Mofaz told reporters during a tour of Jerusalem Tuesday that the Israeli government will allow Palestinians in east Jerusalem to vote in the upcoming PA elections by voting at postal branches.
However, Mofaz was not authorized by Olmert to make such remarks. Moreover, a discussion on the matter attended by officials – including the defense minister himself – was scheduled to take place Tuesday evening. Mofaz was well aware that the conclusions of that meeting were slated to be submitted to Acting Prime Minister Olmert for approval, before being presented before the government early next week.
'Not Hamas campaigning in Jerusalem'
Aside from the poor timing, Mofaz's comments stirred anger among right-wing politicians, who lashed out at Kadima, Sharon's party, for "seeking to divide Jerusalem while caving in to international pressure." Leftists, meanwhile, lauded Mofaz's comments and said allowing east Jerusalemites to vote would allow the PA elections to go ahead as planned.
Olmert was later briefed about the comments, and a correction to Mofaz's remarks was included in a statement to the press released Tuesday afternoon regarding a talk between Olmert and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Meanwhile, Mofaz's associates told Ynet he chose to express the position of the defense establishment as well as his personal stance on the sensitive matter.
"The defense minister believes Israel should do everything as not to be seen to be disrupting Palestinian elections," one associate said, but noted Israel must not allow any Hamas campaigning in eastern Jerusalem.