Jerusalem, May 11, 2005 … On the eve of Israel's Independence Day, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that in order for progress to be made in Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Palestinian leadership must take important steps toward peace, including the permanent dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure.

"Abu Mazen must do the same as David Ben-Gurion did when Israel became a state and dismantle all of the militias," Mr. Olmert told members of an ADL leadership mission to Israel, using the familiar name for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. "Israel is committed to make sacrifices for peace, but the Palestinians must do their part as outlined in the Road Map."

Mr. Olmert added that he believes that the new Palestinian leadership is committed to ending terrorism against Israel.  "Abu Mazen is genuinely against terror and wants change," he said.

The briefing by Mr. Olmert was one of a number of meetings with high-level Israeli government officials attended by members of an ADL delegation led by Barbara B. Balser, National Chair and Abraham H. Foxman, National Director.

Yitzchak Herzog, Minister of Housing and Construction, told the ADL leaders of the need for the disengagement from Gaza "to be carried out in an orderly manner."  Mr. Herzog added, "We hope no radicals will succeed either on the Israeli or Palestinian side, so that it (the disengagement) will be a benchmark for the future."

In other meetings, ADL leaders heard from Dr. Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, the respected pollster of the Palestinian people; and Jabril Rajoub, the Palestinian Authority's National Security Adviser.  The delegation also met with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Daniel C. Kurtzer.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.