Most of the discussion between Olmert and Netanyahu - a monthly affair between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader mandated by law - centered around the growing Iranian nuclear threat.
Olmert is scheduled to depart for the U.S. at 2:00 this afternoon, meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday. This morning he is heading the weekly Cabinet meeting, at which the government will approve the transfer of 50 million shekels (over $11 million) in humanitarian aid to the Hamas-headed Palestinian Authority (PA).
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and now the spiritual leader of the Shas Party, said that if Olmert does not speak about Jonathan Pollard with the U.S. leaders during his visit, he will be in violation of the Biblical command "not to stand by your brother's blood."
MK Effie Eitam (National Union) said that in light of the Kassams on Sderot this morning, "the Disengagement is seen to be a gamble on the lives of the children of Sderot. Now Olmert is going to Washington to gamble on the lives of the children of Kfar Saba and Raanana [who will be endangered by the withdrawal plan that Olmert is trying to push]. I think Olmert should be going not Washington, but to Las Vegas..."
At the same time, Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni and Vice Premier Shimon Peres are preparing to leave for the southern Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where they will be meeting with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). This will be the first high-level meeting between Israeli and PA officials since the Hamas terrorists took over the PA.
It is reported that the officials will try to form a "bypass-Hamas" route by which to deal with economic issues between Israel and the PA.
On the other hand, Abbas said yesterday he would begin negotiations with Hamas by the end of the week, in hopes of preventing collapse and civil war within the Palestinian Authority.
Some 2,250 representatives of states all over the world, including world leaders and businessmen, are in Sharm to take part in the three-day World Economic Forum. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak delivered the opening address yesterday, criticizing the U.S. on many issues.
Following his meeting with Olmert today, Netanyahu told Army Radio that the meeting also dealt with Olmert's trip to the U.S., where the Prime Minister will address both houses of Congress. Netanyahu said that at his own address as Prime Minister to both houses of Congress nearly 10 years ago, he noted the growing Iranian threat and warned of the dangers of Iran's acquisition of nuclear power.
Olmert is scheduled to depart for the U.S. at 2:00 this afternoon, meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday. This morning he is heading the weekly Cabinet meeting, at which the government will approve the transfer of 50 million shekels (over $11 million) in humanitarian aid to the Hamas-headed Palestinian Authority (PA).
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and now the spiritual leader of the Shas Party, said that if Olmert does not speak about Jonathan Pollard with the U.S. leaders during his visit, he will be in violation of the Biblical command "not to stand by your brother's blood."
MK Effie Eitam (National Union) said that in light of the Kassams on Sderot this morning, "the Disengagement is seen to be a gamble on the lives of the children of Sderot. Now Olmert is going to Washington to gamble on the lives of the children of Kfar Saba and Raanana [who will be endangered by the withdrawal plan that Olmert is trying to push]. I think Olmert should be going not Washington, but to Las Vegas..."
At the same time, Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni and Vice Premier Shimon Peres are preparing to leave for the southern Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where they will be meeting with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). This will be the first high-level meeting between Israeli and PA officials since the Hamas terrorists took over the PA.
It is reported that the officials will try to form a "bypass-Hamas" route by which to deal with economic issues between Israel and the PA.
On the other hand, Abbas said yesterday he would begin negotiations with Hamas by the end of the week, in hopes of preventing collapse and civil war within the Palestinian Authority.
Some 2,250 representatives of states all over the world, including world leaders and businessmen, are in Sharm to take part in the three-day World Economic Forum. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak delivered the opening address yesterday, criticizing the U.S. on many issues.
Following his meeting with Olmert today, Netanyahu told Army Radio that the meeting also dealt with Olmert's trip to the U.S., where the Prime Minister will address both houses of Congress. Netanyahu said that at his own address as Prime Minister to both houses of Congress nearly 10 years ago, he noted the growing Iranian threat and warned of the dangers of Iran's acquisition of nuclear power.