Netanyahu’s politics are to blame
Israel’s former prime minister Olmert fears a bloody intifada
02/19/2023 2:32 p.m
In Israel, violence between Israelis and Palestinians threatens to escalate. The ultra-right government of long-time Prime Minister Netanyahu is also to blame for this, says former Prime Minister Olmert. She is not at all interested in peace. The United States should now arbitrate.
In Israel, ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert believes there is a risk of another uprising by the Palestinians due to the current government policy. If the confrontations in the country continue as they have been, there is a serious risk “that another type of intifada will break out, which will cause a lot of pain and blood,” Olmert said at the Munich Security Conference.
In his almost 30-minute speech, Olmert made serious accusations against the ultra-right government of long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has been in power since the end of 2022. Olmert called on US President Joe Biden to “advance energetically” in the conflict and to work for peace between Israel and the Palestinians and thus also “for the future of Israel, which is close to his heart”. This question is crucial for stability in the Middle East and in the strategic interests of the US and Europe.
The intifada is understood to mean the uprising of local groups and the violent, politically organized protest by Palestinians against the Israeli military. The first intifada lasted from 1987 to 1993 and the second intifada from 2000 to 2004.
Olmert criticizes ultranationalist politicians
Olmert was Prime Minister of Israel from April 2006 to March 2009. “I accuse the Israeli government of not doing anything significant to create an impetus for a political dialogue between us and the Palestinians,” Olmert said. He believes that Israel’s government has not been willing to do this in the past 12 years and would not be willing to do so today. Under the influence of ultra-nationalist cabinet members, the government is doing everything it can to “incite public opinion in the State of Israel to a kind of confrontation with the Palestinians.”
With regard to the government’s controversial decisions on building settlements in the West Bank, Olmert said that this proved that peace was not wanted. The situation in Israel is very serious and it is important that both the world public and the Palestinians know that there are other opinions in Israel, said Olmert.