Olmert's plan a 'declaration of war'

Hamas chief rails against Olmert proposal for Israel's permanent borders.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
mashal 88.298 (photo credit: PA [file])
mashal 88.298
(photo credit: PA [file])
Hamas leader abroad, Khaled Mashaal, said Friday that Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Jerusalem Post interview in which he outlined his plan to create Israel's permanent borders by 2010 is "a declaration of war" on the Palestinian people. According to Mashaal, "this is not a peace plan, rather a declaration of war that would enable Israel to hold on to a large portion of the West Bank and Jerusalem, keep the wall, the settlements, and delay the right of return. Olmert is in the process of committing the same mistakes as Ariel Sharon." Olmert told the 'Post' Wednesday that Israel's permanent borders will be set within the next four years, a period during which construction will also begin in the controversial E1 section between Ma'aleh Adumim. The acting prime minister said he intended within the next four years to "get to Israel's permanent borders, whereby we will completely separate from the majority of the Palestinian population and preserve a large and stable Jewish majority in Israel." This was the first time that Olmert has put a time frame on what he has said in the past was Israel's most pressing issue: determining its final borders. Olmert also said he had no intention of meeting Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas after the elections. Olmert also said he had no intention of meeting Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas after the elections. with Herb Keinon and Gil Hoffman