Credit:  Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times /  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks on the Israeli – Palestinian situation at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, NY Feb. 12, 2020.

By Gary Raynaldo           DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

NEW YORK –  “WHERE ARE THE PALESTINIANS?”   The former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he asked himself that question upon attending a  party two weeks ago at the White House in the United States.  Olmert recounted the story this week in New York City as guest speaker at the Council on Foreign Relations event: “A Conversation With Ehud Olmert. The former Israeli prime minister and mayor of Jerusalem said it was quite unusual, and quite extraordinary to have the American President Trump “standing in the East Wing of the White House with lots of Jews, supporters sitting there, and talking with such dedication and commitment to the state of Israel.”  However, Olmert said there was only one thing missing:

“Where were the Palestinians? I mean, what are we talking about? This is a peace which is planned to be between Israel and the Palestinians, not between Israel and America.  Israel and America are doing very well. I think the relations are wonderful. There is a very, very devoted and dedicated president that likes Israel and supports Israeli genuinely. And—but we’re talking about making peace between Israel and the Palestinians. So where are the Palestinians?”

-Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times /  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks on the Israeli – Palestinian situation at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, NY Feb. 12, 2020.

Olmert caused an uproar at the Israeli Permanent Mission to the United Nations this week when he announced his intention to attend a joint press conference with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who staunchly rejected President Trump’s so-called Middle East Peace Plan as being overwhelmingly pro-Israel.  The meeting also was condemned by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times /   Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, (Center) outside United Nations Security Council chambers after addressing  meeting  at UN world headquarters in New York  on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question Feb. 11, 2020.

Israel’s Envoy to UN  Danny Danon Denounced Olmert For “Helping the Palestinians’ Diplomatic Terrorism”

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times / Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon speaks to reporters before UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East at world headquarters in New York Feb. 11, 2020. 

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon had urged Olmert not to come to New York to support Palestinian leader Abbas.  Ambassador Danon denounced Olmert for “helping the Palestinians’ diplomatic terrorism”.  Olmert and Abbas sat side by side at the NY press conference Tuesday on the sidelines of a Security Council meeting during which they both harshly criticized Netanyahu, stating they reject the US administration peace plan. Abbas and Olmert told journalists that they are committed to restarting peace talks where they left off over a decade ago and disclosed their plan.  That plan would have a near-total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and international supervision over Jerusalem’s holy sites.

The Palestinians Ought to Be Part Of The Peace Plan:  Olmert 

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times /  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks on the Israeli – Palestinian situation at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, NY Feb. 12, 2020.

Diplomatic Times Video /  Former Israel PM Olmert at CFR, New York on Middle East Peace Plan

“Now, I think that the Palestinians ought to be part of this game. Without them, there will not be peace. There will be ceremonies, there will be parties, there will statements, but peace that we want to achieve will never take place,” Olmert said during his talk at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Olmert added: “In the first week when Netanyahu immediately after the ceremony in the White House declared publicly that he’s going to in the next session of the Cabinet Sunday—this was Tuesday in New York—in Washington. Sunday he is going to pass a resolution in the Israeli Cabinet to immediately annex the territories. And then Jared Kushner and subsequently David Friedman, the ambassador, said: Hey, hang on just a minute, no. No. We will not recognize it. Hey, stop. You want to do this? It has to be part of the whole thing. So, number one, it’s not—it turns out maybe as a result of some of the reactions given by the Palestinians or maybe some of their potential supporters, the Arab countries, which are very important in this equation, and they changed their attitude, number one. Number two, the issue of Jerusalem is very interesting. It says two contradictory things in the same sentence, almost. It says that Jerusalem, the united and undivided capital, will remain the capital of the state of Israel. And when the Palestinian state will be created, East Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestinian state. Now, I don’t understand. I mean, what is undivided Jerusalem and the East of Jerusalem will be the capital of—(Palestinian state)

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times /  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at CFR.

Olmert, 72-years-old,  is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009 and before that as a cabinet minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006. Between his first and second stints as a cabinet member, he served as mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003. After serving as PM he was sentenced to serve a prison term over convictions for accepting bribes and for obstruction of justice during his terms as mayor of Jerusalem and as trade minister.

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo ©Diplomatic Times /  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at CFR gets emotional talking about PM  Netanyahu. 

“Netanyahu never really planned to implement Trump’s peace plan. This was just another one of his famous stunts. From his point of view, why should we make peace with the Palestinians if instead we can just unilaterally annex the Jordan Valley and thereafter be able to apply Israeli law to all of the settlements in Judea and Samaria – and take control of the rest of the land that theoretically belonged to the PA.”

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on “Why I Met With Mahmoud Abbas” 

“Twenty-five years ago, Netanyahu was the source of the incitement against Yitzhak Rabin, which led to at atmosphere of hatred, angry protests and perhaps to the great tragedy that shocked the Israeli people to its core. I personally am not wiling to give in to the brutal violence carried out by Netanyahu and his gang of thugs. I truly believe that it is in Israel’s best interest to separate ourselves from the Palestinians and agree to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state”