Citizen G'kar: Musings on Earth

July 11, 2007

Olmert Spins Up a Win in Lebanon, Calls for Direct Talks with Syria

In an amazing flurry of spin, Olmert Calls for direct talks with Syria. Claiming Israel won the war with Hizbollah, he expects to negotiate from a position of strength with Syria.
The truth is Olmert is facing repeated calls for his resignation. The Israeli public believes they lost the war with Hizbollah. Olmert seems to be grandstanding hoping to stretch his tenure in office by appearing to be Israel's one last hope for peace. It would appear even the Saudis think the offer of peace may be for real. Egypt's Mubarak and Jordan's Abdullah will meet with Olmert in the Sinai desert, once occupied by Israel and returned to Egypt in their peace agreement.
The Daily Star
Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert urged Syrian President Bashar Assad Tuesday to begin direct peace negotiations between the two countries, and advised him not to wait for US mediation.


Olmert made his comments in a rare interview with the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiyya television station. Such an interview would have never been conducted without the prior approval of Saudi authorities.


In separate interviews with Spanish and Italian newspapers, Olmert listed Israel's "accomplishments" as a result of the summer 2006 war with Lebanon, claiming Hizbullah has "lost its will to fight Israel."


"Bashar Assad, you know that I am ready for direct talks with you," Olmert told Al-Arabiyya television on Tuesday.


"You [Assad] have been saying that you want the negotiations through the Americans. But they do not want to sit with you. I am ready to sit with you and talk about peace not war."


"I will be happy if I could make peace with Syria. I do not want to wage war against Syria," Olmert said.


Speaking of the much-criticized Lebanon war, Olmert spoke of Israeli gains from the conflict. "We are strange, we Israelis. We're sad even when we win at war," Olmert told the Italian newspaper, Corriere Della Sera, in comments also carried out on the Web site of Israel's Yediot Ahronot daily.


"The situation in Southern Lebanon is fundamentally different than it was a year ago. The Lebanese Army is deployed in the areas, along with a multi-national force, UNIFIL," he said.


"Hizbullah no longer threatens residents along the border. They lost their will for an additional fight with Israel. Their leader, [Sayyed] Hassan Nasrallah, and his senior commanders are hiding or not living as free men."

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