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Photo: Ofer Amram
Netanyahu not impressed
Photo: Ofer Amram
Olmert recalls Netanyahu's mistakes
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin

Netanyahu revived Hamas, Olmert says

Premier accuses opposition leader of emboldening Palestinian Islamic group during his time as prime minister; 'Olmert's weakness is deteriorating Israel's security situation,' Netanyahu responds

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accused Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of having played a role in the founding of Hamas and emboldening the Islamic group during his time as prime minister.

 

"Netanyahu is the man who set up Hamas and revived it by releasing Sheikh Yassin (Hamas' founder) and giving Hamas the option to grow because of stupidities he committed as prime minister," Olmert told the committee.

 

In response, Netanyahu said, "This government is a failure. The only thing it should do is go home. Olmert has apparently learned nothing and is trying to cover up his failures with false accusations, but we all know he allowed Hamas to hold elections in east Jerusalem and is now permitting the group to receive monetary aid, meaning he is allowing them to obtain weapons.

 

“The prime minister’s weakness is deteriorating Israel’s security situation and is damaging the wall of isolation that was built around Hamas,” Netanyahu said during a Likud faction meeting.

 

The opposition leader slammed the government for not taking a stance on the Mecca agreement (between Fatah and Hamas), saying “we know Hamas has no intention of fighting terror, and evidence of this could be seen today with the falling of Qassams in Israeli territory.”

 

Earlier an exchange between the two leaders broke out during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting when Olmert was asked during a about recent peace overtures towards Israel by Syrian President Bashar Assad. Netanyahu was of the opinion that Israel should shun Assad, whom he accused of waging war on Israel through proxy terror groups.

 

'No political horizon'

Olmert claimed that during the Likud head's tenure as prime minister in the mid-nineties Israel held talks with Syria.

 

Netanyahu rebuffed the claim, saying, “How many times can Olmert repeat this lie? He knows full well that it was my insistence that we keep the Golan Heights led to the collapse of the negotiations with Syria.”  

 

Olmert charged that between 1993 and 2003 successive Israeli governments had held talks with Syria bearing in mind that a final peace deal with Damascus would involve returning at least parts of the Golan Heights.

 

Olmert told committee members that Israel would be willing to engage in peace talks with Syria once Damascus has ceased to back terror groups like Hizbullah and Hamas.

 

"Some people are always eager to prove that there is no political horizon with any side in the region," Olmert said, referring to Netanyahu.

 

Olmert added that he would be meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the heels of a summit in Jerusalem with the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

on February 19.

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.12.07, 17:16
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