Israeli voters decide future of 39-year occupation

Israelis voted today in a historic election seen as a referendum on the future of the West Bank, with the leading candidate, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, promising to pull back from most of the territory and draw Israel’s final borders by 2010.

Barring an unexpected surge by hawkish parties, Israelis were expected to give a green light to Olmert’s proposal to separate from most Palestinians after 39 years of military occupation.