Ehud Olmert
Former Prime Minister of Israel (2006–2009) · Likud, then Kadima
2 changes of mind on record, 1978–2008
How this works
Each change shows what they said then and what they said later, in their own words, dated, with the source.
Every quote is checked word for word against a saved copy of its source. Translations are labelled.
The short labels on each line are our summaries.
At a glance
- Dividing Jerusalem and the 1967 lines Never 1967, never divideCede land, Jerusalem included Dec 2003Nov 2008
- Evacuating the Sinai settlements for peace with Egypt Against evacuating SinaiBegin was right, I was wrong Sept 1978Jul 2007
first said said otherwise
Dividing Jerusalem and the 1967 lines
Then
Never 1967, never divide
Israel will never agree to return to the 1967 lines, divide Jerusalem, hand over the Temple Mount, divide the Old City or give up the Mount of Olives; he calls that idea a pipe dream. (In the same speech he argued for a unilateral separation from Palestinians.)
"זה לא יקרה, מדינת ישראל לעולם לא תסכים, ובדין לא תסכים, לחזור לגבולות 1967 ולחלק את ירושלים ולהחזיר את הר-הבית למי שמעולם לא היה זכאי להחזיק בו, ולחלק את העיר העתיקה ולתת את הר-הזיתים."
Our translation It will not happen. The State of Israel will never agree, and rightly will not agree, to return to the 1967 borders and to divide Jerusalem and to give back the Temple Mount to those who were never entitled to hold it, and to divide the Old City and to give up the Mount of Olives.
Source דברי הכנסת, הכנסת ה-16, 10 בדצמבר 2003: דברי השר אהוד אולמרט על נסיגה חד-צדדית
4 years, 11 months later
Later
Cede land, Jerusalem included
Any government will have to tell the truth, and that truth will oblige Israel to give up many parts of the homeland, in Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights; later in the speech he says of the effort to hold every inch: "I was there too. We were wrong."
"הממשלה, כל ממשלה, תצטרך לומר את האמת, והאמת הזאת, לצערי, תחייב אותנו לקרוע חלקי מולדת רבים, ביהודה, בשומרון, בירושלים וברמת-הגולן."
Our translation The government, any government, will have to tell the truth, and this truth, regrettably, will oblige us to tear away many parts of the homeland, in Judea, in Samaria, in Jerusalem and in the Golan Heights.
Source דברי הכנסת, הכנסת ה-17, 10 בנובמבר 2008: ישיבה מיוחדת לזכרו של ראש הממשלה ושר הביטחון יצחק רבין
Context: He was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003. As prime minister he negotiated with Mahmoud Abbas after the Annapolis conference of November 2007; he announced his resignation in July 2008 and left office in March 2009.
Evacuating the Sinai settlements for peace with Egypt
Then
Against evacuating Sinai
He accepts that peace with Egypt requires withdrawals and military concessions, but refuses to accept that giving up the Sinai settlements had to be the price; he votes against the Camp David Accords.
"אולם אני ממאן להשלים עם הטענה כי ויתור על הישובים חייב היה בהכרח להיות הנושא האחרון העומד למכשול בין הסכם ומשא-ומתן לבין ביטולם."
Our translation But I refuse to accept the claim that giving up the settlements necessarily had to be the last issue standing as the obstacle between an agreement and negotiations and their cancellation.
Source דברי הכנסת, הכנסת ה-9, 27 בספטמבר 1978: הדיון על הסכמי קמפ-דייוויד
28 years, 9 months later
Later
Begin was right, I was wrong
Speaking as prime minister, he says Menachem Begin was right about evacuating Sinai and that he himself was wrong, and praises Begin for having the courage to change his own mind.
"בדיון על פינוי סיני צדק מנחם בגין, ואני טעיתי. כל הכבוד לו, זיכרונו לברכה, שהיו בו האומץ, העוז והנחישות לשנות את דעתו שלו ולפנות שטחים שהוא התחייב שלא לפנות אותם."
Our translation In the debate on evacuating Sinai, Menachem Begin was right and I was wrong. All credit to him, of blessed memory, that he had the courage, the boldness and the determination to change his own mind and to evacuate territories he had committed not to evacuate.
Context: The Knesset approved the Camp David Accords on 28 September 1978; the peace treaty with Egypt was signed in March 1979, and Israel evacuated the Sinai settlements, including Yamit, in April 1982.