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| Israel PM outlines peace vision | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he hopes to revive long-stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians as a ceasefire takes hold in the Gaza Strip. | |
| He has been speaking at an annual memorial at the grave of Israel's founding premier David Ben-Gurion. | |
| It comes against the background of increased diplomatic activity, and a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. | It comes against the background of increased diplomatic activity, and a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. |
| US President George W Bush is due in Jordan later in the week. | US President George W Bush is due in Jordan later in the week. |
| Mr Olmert said the Palestinians stood at an "historic crossroads" which would see substantive improvements in their lives if they chose the path of peace. | |
| "We will agree to leave large territories and dismantle settlements that we established," he said. | |
| Mr Olmert spoke of releasing many long-term Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, lifting restrictions on the occupied territories and ultimately creating a viable state. | |
| However, he also warned of the dire consequences if violence continues. | |
| Earlier, Israeli troops shot and killed two people in a raid in the West Bank early on Monday, one a militant from the Popular Resistance committees and the other a 55-year-old woman. | |
| Threat | Threat |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Jerusalem said all Mr Olmert's pledges on Monday had been made before, but their importance lay in the context in which they are now being made. | |
| Palestinian militant groups have warned that the ceasefire which came into force on Sunday could collapse unless Israel halts military operations in the West Bank. | Palestinian militant groups have warned that the ceasefire which came into force on Sunday could collapse unless Israel halts military operations in the West Bank. |
| Monday's deaths occurred in the town of Qabatiya near Jenin in the northern West Bank. | |
| The official Palestinian news agency said the woman had been shot as she went to the aid of the injured militant. The Israeli army said she had been trying to recover his gun. | |
| The last four months have seen an upsurge of violence in the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 300 Palestinians, including scores of civilians. Five Israelis have also died. | The last four months have seen an upsurge of violence in the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 300 Palestinians, including scores of civilians. Five Israelis have also died. |
| Israeli troops re-entered Gaza - which they quit more than a year ago in a unilateral withdrawal - after Palestinian militants captured a soldier in a cross-border raid in June. | Israeli troops re-entered Gaza - which they quit more than a year ago in a unilateral withdrawal - after Palestinian militants captured a soldier in a cross-border raid in June. |
| Mr Olmert won elections in January on a pledge to make further unilateral withdrawals, but credibility in the policy was dashed in a summer of conflict in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. | Mr Olmert won elections in January on a pledge to make further unilateral withdrawals, but credibility in the policy was dashed in a summer of conflict in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. |