Olmert promises to redraw Israel’s borders by 2010

ISRAELI leader Ehud Olmert presented his government to parliament yesterday, pledging to remove isolated Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank but to hold on forever to major enclaves and East Jerusalem.

In a policy speech ahead of the Knesset’s ratification of the incoming prime minister’s coalition government, he also voiced deep concern over Iran’s nuclear programme, accusing Tehran of targeting the Jewish state for annihilation.

“The borders of Israel that will be formed in the coming years will be significantly different from the territories under Israel’s control today,” said Mr Olmert, who has vowed to set final frontiers by 2010 with or without Palestinian agreement.