Obama and Olmert
Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO
Olmert: Obama 'well-intentioned'
Outgoing prime minister speaks with US president-elect, tells cabinet his tone and words indicate he will continue America's friendship with Israel
US president-elect Barack Obama is "well-intentioned", outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
told ministers during a cabinet meeting Sunday, relaying a congratulatory conversation he had held with the recently elected candidate.
In response to the question whether Obama would be good for Israel,
the prime minister responded, "The question of whether a president of another country is good for Israel is not phrased appropriately. The president of the United States needs to be good for the United States and we in Israel need to be good for ourselves."
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Nonetheless, he did express confidence that the Obama administration would continue to have cordial relations with Israel, noting that Obama's "tone and his words during the telephone conversation and during previous conversations indicated his good intentions and his good will towards Israel."
"I told him the truth, that the democratic process in the United States had awakened a lot of excitement in Israel and that we are convinced that President Obama will continue (America's) deep friendship with Israel," Olmert told the cabinet.
Olmert also praised outgoing US President George Bush, with whom he is scheduled to meet and with whom he will "summarize a long era of strong cooperation that began with Ariel Sharon's government and continues until today."
"I have already stated in the past that President Bush's name will be written in golden letters in Israel. What I know cannot be shared with the public or even with cabinet members. But what I can say is that he is a friend of Israel and deserving of much praise," the prime minister added.
