By KUNA,
Ramallah : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that Jerusalem “is last on the (negotiations) agenda” as it is “the most sensitive and most difficult issue.”
Olmert told the Yediot Ahronot Israeli newspaper, in an interview published Monday: “It would have been foolish to begin the negotiations with the issue that would most likely lead to disagreement.”
He said that the negotiations between the two sides are going very calmly and smoothly, and away from the media, saying: “One cannot hold profound, straightforward and open talks with the head of the Palestinian Authority and then report them to the media.”
On the move to continue building settlements in Jerusalem, he said: “I say this again today: Beitar Illit will be built, Gush Etzion will be built; there will be construction in Pisgat Ze’ev and in the Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem. It’s clear that these areas will remain under Israeli control in any future settlement.”
Olmert also said his government intends to continue negotiation with Syria, saying that Syrians know very well what Israel desires, and Israelis know as well what the Syrians want, pointing that there is still an opportunity to launch negotiations in order to achieve peace between Israel and Syria.
Olmert meanwhile further stressed that Israel is not under a Syrian nuclear threat, declining to comment on the Israeli raid of a Syrian site last September.