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01/25/2006:

"Olmert Says Israel Must Give Up Parts of West Bank"

Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says Israel must cede more territory to the Palestinians. He said that if a peace agreement cannot be reached, Israel would act in its own interests unilaterally.

In his first policy speech, Ehud Olmert said Israel will have to give up additional parts of the West Bank.

"We cannot continue to rule over territories with a large Palestinian population," he said.

He said Israel would have to relinquish part of its biblical homeland to ensure a strong Jewish majority.

"The most important and dramatic step before us is drawing permanent borders for the state of Israel," he said. Those borders would include keeping big West Bank settlement blocs and Jerusalem under Israeli control.
voanews.com