By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that he intends to advance the diplomatic process and negotiations on the core issues, even if this makes him lose his parliamentary majority, local Ha’aretz reported on Tuesday, citing Olmert’s aides.
According to the report, Olmert made the remarks on Monday prior to his meeting set for Tuesday with Minister of Strategic Affairs and Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who has threatened to pull his party out of the coalition in case that Olmert starts talks with the Palestinians on the core issues of borders, Jerusalem and the refugees.
The negotiating teams headed by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qureia on Monday held their first session in Jerusalem on core issues.
Olmert also told the Knesset (Parliament)’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Monday that serious talks are impossible without addressing the core issues, and he intends to hold serious talks.
Following his meeting with Olmert, Lieberman on Tuesday evening will convene his party’s secretariat to discuss the results of the meeting and decide what to do. On Wednesday, he plans to call a press conference to announce his decision.
At a Yisrael Beiteinu faction meeting on Monday, Lieberman made his case for quitting the coalition. He said the government has crossed the red lines the party set, so it seems to have no choice but to leave.
Even if Yisrael Beiteinu leaves, Olmert’s coalition would still command a majority of 67 legislators. The prime minister has begun persuaded United Torah Judaism to join the government in Lieberman’ s place.
Meanwhile, the opposition party Likud is continuing its efforts to persuade both Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas to quit the coalition. “Like us, they see the dangers, and we expect them to draw conclusions and quit the government now,” Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said at a faction meeting on Monday.