JERUSALEM, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday that Israel would review all the contacts with the Palestinians if the Islamic Resistance Movement(Hamas) forms a new Palestinian government.
Olmert made the remarks while addressing a delegation of visiting Jewish American leaders at the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem.
"The day (Palestinian President Mahmoud) Abbas will appoint a Hamas representative to head a government, we will review all contacts," said Olmert, also ruling out negotiations with Hamas.
"Israel won't negotiate and won't compromise with a terror organization," vowed the acting prime minister, adding Israel would not deal with a Palestinian National Authority (PNA) "that will be dominated wholly or partly by a terrorist organization."
Immediately after Hamas' sweeping election victory, Olmert said that Israel would shut the door of negotiations with the Palestinians if Hamas led or participated the new government.
Hamas, which calls for the destruction of Israel, is expected to form a new Palestinian government after its overwhelming parliamentary win in the Jan. 25 polls.
In addition, Olmert also harshly criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his Tuesday speech.
Olmert said that the Iranian leader was "using the worst anti-Semitic expressions", referring to Ahmadinejad's call to wipe Israel off the world map and his doubt about the Holocaust.
The acting prime minister also urged tough international action to stop Iran's nuclear program. Enditem |