Olmert breaks years of ambiguity

    Prime Minister Ehud Olmert caused a political storm Monday when he broke Israel's long-standing policy of nuclear ambiguity by including Israel in the list of countries responsible for nuclear weapons. He said that Iran aspires to have nuclear weapons like the U.S., France and Israel do. Olmert, in Germany on the first day of an official visit, spoke to Sat 1 television. He said Israel has never threatened any nation with annihilation, whereas, Iran openly and explicitly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The Prime Minister's Office stressed afterwards that Olmert reiterated twice that Israel would not be the first country in the region to use nuclear weapons. Back home, Knesset member Yossi Beilin (chairman, Yahad-Meretz) said Olmert's statement reflects carelessness and raises serious doubts whether he is capable of serving as prime minister. MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud), former chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, called on Olmert to resign. He noted that the statement made in Germany undermines 50 years of Israel's policy of ambiguity. A prime minister unable to control his statements on sensitive matters of security must quit, said Steinitz,media reported tday.(11,41)