OLMERT’S STATEMENTS DIFFERENT AT PRESS CONFERENCES AND PRIVATE MEETINGS

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 19 2007

It has been reported that even though Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert did not openly express support of the alleged Armenian genocide
bill, behind closed doors he said that they were supporting the Turkish
version of the issue and had given instructions to Israel’s contacts
in the United States to give their support to Turkey.

During his meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Olmert said
that they would not claim any of the allegations on the Armenian
genocide bill openly, however, Turkey could assume the support of
the Jewish lobby as a guarantee. It is also said that Turkish Premier
Tayyip Erdoðan’s proposal for sending a Turkish delegation in regard
to Israel’s restoration and digging work carried out around the Al-Aqsa
Mosque, the third holiest sanctuary in Islam, was not one that had been
prepared before Olmert came. According to reliable sources, this idea
came to Erdoðan’s mind during the meeting. It is jokingly noted that
the "bulb of the idea," which is the Justice and Development Party’s
(AK Party) symbol, lit in Erdoðan’s head this time.

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