Israel isn't trying to expand Jewish housing in the West Bank to effect a land grab before an eventual military withdrawal, the country's senior diplomat said Sunday.
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| Olmert: Rumors against me malicious, wicked / Roni Sofer |
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(Video) Prime minister comments on recent police investigation against him, says that once things clear up, suspicions will vanish. Olmert vows to continue fulfilling his duties as required |
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"I can assure you Israel has no hidden agenda," Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told reporters in Jerusalem following a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Livni pointed to Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as proof that Jewish settlements "are not obstacles" if the government decides it has a larger aim of peace or political settlement with the Palestinians.
In her first response to the recent investigation launched against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
Livni said
"I am a firm believer in the separation of powers. The investigators must be given a chance to finish their job," adding that she hopes the investigation will conclude soon "so that the truth may come out".
Livni, who will fill in for Olmert in case he suspends himself from office due to the probe against him, said she has "complete faith that (police) will do their job without bias."
Rice, for her part, said the case was an internal Israeli issue.
Earlier on Sunday Olmert's former Bureau chief, Shula Zaken, was summoned to the Bat Yam headquarters of the National Fraud Investigations Unit for her second round of questioning in the affair, the details of which have yet to be revealed due to a court-issued gag order.
President Shimon Peres
told Ynet regarding the affair, "All my life I have believed that certain matters should be left to the judges, and not to ministers or presidents, so I will not address this affair."
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