Olmert Concedes Defeat of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine: No More Greater Israel, Says Haniya

[ 18/09/2008 - 06:08 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Ismail Haniya, the premier of the Palestinian caretaker government, stated on Wednesday that Israeli premier Ehud Olmert admitted the failure of the Zionist project and the occupation of Palestine when he said that the dream of establishing greater Israel had vanished.

In a ceremony held to honor memorizers of the holy Qur'an, Haniya underlined that Olmert's statement reflects the defeat of the Zionist project before the fortitude of the Palestinian people and their resistance.

The Israeli premier had said on Sunday during the weekly cabinet meeting that the idea of "Israel's whole land" was gone and whoever thought otherwise was delusional.

During his visit to the village of Israeli university students in the Kibbutz Ashlim settlement on Wednesday, Olmert acknowledged that Israel's expenditure on building settlements for 40 years was in vain because the West Bank would not be its territory.

"Israel spent all its financial resources on the West Bank based on the idea that the West Bank would remain an integral part of the Israeli state, but I say that we spent our money to build in the West Bank in vain and for nothing," Olmert said.

"But the history has unquestionably proven to us that Israel has other two places as a real option, an option apt to implement, that is, Negev and Galilee, he added.

Meanwhile, Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni announced victory in the leadership of Kadima party succeeding premier Ehud Olmert who had to step down after he was charged with receiving bribes.

The official results showed that Livni achieved a narrow victory by a margin of 431 votes over her opponent transport minister Shaul Mofaz.

Most of the Palestinian factions except Fatah played down the importance of such elections in the Israeli ruling party, considering that all Israeli leaders deny the rights of the Palestinian people.

Ahmed Qurei, the chief PLO negotiator with Israel, had stated that the PA prefers Livni to Mofaz alleging that she is willing to give what others cannot give.

Premier Ismail Haniya expressed unconcern about the Israeli election, saying all leaders of Israel unite against the Palestinian people and refuse to recognize their rights especially the establishment of their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and the right of refugees to return to their homes.

For his part, Ibrahim Al-Najjar, a prominent Islamic Jihad leader, said that Livni, Mofaz, Olmert and the like are all appropriators of Palestinian land and rights and reached to their positions through a long trail of massacres and assassinations.