Middle East News
Olmert: peace treaty would be accepted by large majority (Extra)
By DPA
May 15, 2008, 12:10 GMT

Jerusalem - Any peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians which sees two states living side-by-side would be supported by a large majority of the Israeli Knesset and the Israeli public, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday.

Addressing the Knesset, which assembled in special session to hear a speech by visiting US President George W Bush, Olmert said he was committed to carrying out the US leader's vision of a Palestinian state living in peace alongside Israel.

Olmert also spoke out against Iran, calling Tehran's nuclear ambitions a 'serious threat' to the whole world and saying that threats by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to wipe the Jewish state off the map, and his preparations to do so by acquiring long-range missiles, obliged Israel to be ready to defend itself.

Bush, who arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a 48-hour visit to honour the country's 60th anniversary, was to address the Knesset after Olmert and Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu.