Olmert to seek coalition with Labour Party

Acting Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert today announced that he’ll seek to form a coalition with the centre-left Labour Party, an alliance that would boost his plan to withdraw from much of the West Bank and draw Israel’s final borders by 2010.

The announcement came after a meeting between Olmert, head of the centrist Kadima Party, and Labour’s chief, Amir Peretz. The meeting signalled the end of a rift between Olmert and Peretz that began after last week’s national election.