Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    JERUSALEM, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday that Iranian nuclear threat would be the key issue to be discussed with U.S. President George W. Bush next week, the Ha'aretz daily reported on Thursday.

    Olmert is set to meet with Bush at the White House on May 23.  

    The prime minister is planning to describe the severity with which Israel views the Iranian nuclear threat, and explain that the country is not leading an international struggle against Iran,said the report.

    However, Israel expected the United States and other countries to do everything they can to halt the threat, the report added.  

    Olmert also said that the primary objective of his upcoming trip is to create a rapport with Bush.

    As for the so-called convergence plan, Olmert said that he plans to present it to the White House, but only after "three or 10 months," will it be possible to announce there is no Palestinian negotiation partner and move on to unilateral steps.  

    The plan involves further withdrawals from large swaths of the West Bank, but not from major settlement blocs.

    On Wednesday, The Jerusalem Post reported, citing senior officials in the White House, that Bush will not discuss with Olmert details of his plan of further withdrawals from the West Bank during Olmert's trip to Washington.

    Olmert has vowed to set Israel's final borders by 2010, saying the convergence plan will be his government's priority, under which Israel will quit isolated settlements in the West Bank but keep bigger ones with or without the Palestinians' consent.   

    Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and parts of northern West Bank last summer, a move supported by Washington.

    Olmert's visit to Washington will be his first trip overseas since his Kadima party won the March 28 general elections. Enditem