Quotes By Ehud Olmert

I have to think about the possible ramifications of an early retirement.

I know the war in Iraq is controversial in the States, but for us in the Middle East it has made a great and significant impact.

I was not born to be prime minister, and I'm not going to stay here until the end of my life. I'm too young for that.

I know I'm unpopular.

When you fight for the impossible, sometimes you lose everything.

For me to propose a division of Jerusalem was really terrible. I did it because I reached a conclusion that without which there will not be peace.

A prime minister must not promise things that can't be fulfilled.

There is a Western world. There is America. There is Great Britain and Germany and France and Russia and China and other nations. I doubt that there is one country amongst those I mentioned which has a desire to see Iran, with its fundamentalist, Islamic, extremist government, possessing nuclear weapons.

Who thinks seriously that if we sit on another hilltop, on another hundred meters, that this is what will make the difference for the state of Israel's basic security?

It is important that democracy in Lebanon is protected and that Hezbollah will not be supported by outside forces like Syria and Iran.

Every prime minister ... has the responsibility to provide security for his people.

My doctors say I am very healthy.

The military operation in Lebanon was the most successful military operation in recent Israeli history. Many in Israel don't recognise that.

I never thought that Syria and Israel should engage in a violent confrontation because I don't think that there is any particular interest for any of us to do it.

In Israel we tend to be carried away by our emotions.

There were certain people who were out to get me. I know who those people were. They exist, believe me. They know that I know. They spent millions of dollars in order to try to get rid of me. I'm happy they lost most of their money.

Look, miracles in the Middle East are a reality.

Peace is important for Israel.

The Palestinians are facing a historic junction at which they will have to decide whether they want to remain stuck in a corner of extreme fundamentalism, which will cut them off from the entire world, or whether they are ready to take the necessary steps. My role is to assist in building this process.

Israel always has to be in a position to defend itself against any adversary and against any threat of any kind.

A prime minister has to keep a certain balance when dealing with sensitive issues.

I love my country more than anything else.

How are fears born? They are born because of differences in tradition and history; they are born because of differences in emotional, political and national circumstances. Because of such differences, people fear they cannot live together.

Israel will not tolerate a situation in which Iran has effective control of non-conventional weapons that can be used directly against the state of Israel.

Iran is an anti-Semitic, terrorist government.

Growing up in Israel, how can I not be an optimist? When you remember what Israel was 50 years ago and you see Israel now, one of the most successful countries in the world, stable, democratic, with an enormously stable economy despite everything that has happened in the global economy in the last few years, how can I not be an optimist?

Political leaders can help change the psychological climate which affects the quality of relationships among people.

I'm not in power, but my ideas are in power. And my ideas will prevail.

When the President of Iran talks about removing Israel from the face of the Earth and is building nuclear bombs with a range of 3000km, you have to be worried.

I sometimes feel tired. But there are so many reasons for being tired.