US Secy. Of State Dr. Rice to Acting PM Olmert: US Committed to Bush-Sharon
Understandings
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Wednesday, 11 January, 2006
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday afternoon (Tuesday),
10.1.06, spoke with US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice, who had
telephoned in order to be updated on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
condition.
Acting Prime Minister Olmert updated US Secy. of State Rice on Prime
Minister Sharon's condition. He said that he had spoken with Hadassah
Ein-Kerem Hospital Director Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef and added that he was
encouraged by the reports of an improvement in the Prime Minister's
condition.
US Secy. Of State Rice said that they were praying for the Prime
Minister, and noted that the US continues to be committed to the
security of the State of Israel and would not allow negative elements to
exploit Israel's internal state in order to escalate the situation. She
emphasized that the US stood behind all of its understandings with Prime
Minister Sharon regarding the Roadmap and US President George Bush's
two-state vision.
Acting Prime Minister Olmert said that Israel was concerned by the rise
of Hamas, continued terrorism and the ineffectualness of Abu Mazen and
the Palestinian Authority (PA). He added that in light of the PA's
explicit commitment to disband Hamas and its infrastructures after - and
as a result of - the elections, Israel would not give the Palestinians
any excuse for postponing the elections and evading this commitment.
The Acting Prime Minister said that on Sunday, 8.1.06, he would submit
for Cabinet approval the issue of voting by several hundred eastern
Jerusalem Arab at Postal Authority branches, as was done in the 1996 and
2005 PA elections, it being clear that terrorist organizations and their
representatives will be unable to participate in the elections in
Jerusalem.
Acting Prime Minister Olmert thanked US Secy. Of State Rice for her
telephone call and asked that she convey his appreciation to US
President Bush and to the American people for the support and solidarity
that they are showing for Israel at this sensitive time.
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