The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Jerusalem

Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Monday that Israel must give up most of the Arab territories it has occupied since 1967, including east Jerusalem, if it wants peace.

"This government, any government, owes it to tell the truth and that truth will force us to separate from many parts of the homeland in Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank), in Jerusalem and on the Golan Heights," Olmert said in a speech to parliament. "There were times when we wanted to seal our presence on every inch of land-and I was one of those people-but we were wrong." Olmert was addressing a special session of parliament convened to mark the 13th anniversary of the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin by a Jewish extremist opposed to any territorial concessions to the Palestinians. Earlier at a ceremony attended by leading Israeli politicians at Rabin's graveside in Jerusalem's Mount Herzl cemetery, Olmert made similar remarks about the need to give up land for peace.