Departing Olmert urges Palestinian deal

JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking for perhaps the last time to the Knesset defense committee, Monday urged completion of a Palestinian peace deal.

Olmert, who is expected to resign this month, issued a plea to recognize the importance of reaching a settlement with the Palestinian authority, saying that while the price to Israel may seem high, the consequences of delay were worse, Ynetnews.com reported.

"Every day that goes by without our reaching a deal with the Palestinians is a day we may regret in the future and I say this as a man who once had and fought for very different ideas," Olmert said. "If we don't reach a deal fast we'll be missing an opportunity and missing that opportunity may come at an unbearable price."

Olmert said Knesset members concerned about missile threats emerging in land ceded to the Palestinians failed to acknowledge Israel already faces such threats, the Web site reported.

"To those talking about missile threats -- I can say now that all of Israel is already in the range of terror organizations and so a meter here or there doesn't matter," Olmert said.