Olmert Can't Keep His Mouth Shut?

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday predicted that the outcome of the Israel Defense Forces' fighting in Lebanon would create "new momentum" for Israel's plan to separate from the Palestinians by withdrawing from much of the West Bank.

At least 10 settlers being called up for reserve duty in the IDF infantry corps on Wednesday threatened to refuse service in Lebanon to protest Olmert's comment.

"We will not go into Lebanon if the whole goal is to help expel us from our homes," the reservists told their commanders.

Another opinion:

MK Zevulun Orlev, head of the National Religious Party, said that the war in Lebanon has defeated the plan to expel tens of thousands of Jews from their homes and destroy their communities.

His comments came in response to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s statement that that an Israeli victory over Hizbullah in Lebanon would give momentum to his plan.

“Anyone with any intelligence understands that the war has defeated the Convergence plan. Ignoring the fact that another retreat from Judeah and Samaria will bring Kassam and Katyusha rockets on Petach Tikvah and Ben-Gurion Airport is political blindness. It is very unfortunate that at a time of war and at a time when the opposition is contributing to unity and national consensus the Prime Minister brings up a topic that divides the nation,” said Orlev.