Prime Minister Olmert
Photo: Reuters
Defense Minister Barak
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Foreign Minister Livni
Photo: AFP
Olmert assembles 'Kitchen Cabinet'
Prime minister assembles high-powered trio of ministers – Olmert, Livni and Barak – to handle urgent issues currently at hand. Trio has several top-secret meetings this week to consult on sensitive security and political matters
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak met repeatedly this week for urgent consultations about current issues, Ynet has learned.
This team of top officials, assembled by Olmert, will also oversee the drafting of a declaration of principles with the Palestinians ahead of the international peace summit in Washington this November, sponsored by US President George W Bush.
Goodwill Gesture
Prime minister meets with Palestinian president, but leaders do not discuss number of prisoners to be released. Israel also promises to ease restrictions on Palestinians' movement in West Bank
The trio – Olmert, Livni and Barak – has been extremely secretive regarding security and diplomatic developments in Israel lately.
The reasons for assembling the "kitchen cabinet" were to form a forum for consultation on sensitive security and political matters that demand immediate action and confidentiality, while averting any information leaks.
Agreements with Palestinians
The mini-cabinet cooperated in Olmert's decisions this past week, and participated in diplomatic dialogue on drawing up the basic principles for a permanent agreement with the Palestinians.Representatives of the trio – the PM's bureau chief Dr Yoram Turbovich, diplomatic advisor Shalom Turgeman, a Foreign Ministry representative and a Defense Ministry representative – were responsible for the practical implementation of the decisions.
This team will also most likely be in charge of drafting the relevant document – the declaration of principles – to be presented at the Washington peace summit. Work on the document is slated to begin after the holidays.
The Prime Minister's bureau said it preferred to call the high-powered diplomatic trio an "ad hoc ministerial team". The bureau also wished to stress that the declaration of principles, if and when it is established with the Palestinians, will be presented to the cabinet and Knesset before being implemented.
