Olmert peace plan made public

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed swapping land with the Palestinians for major settlement blocs in the West Bank as part of his peace plan, as detailed in a map released to Haaretz. Olmert's plan, which was presented to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in September 2008, would have involved the transfer of 327 square kilometers of land within the Green Line to the Palestinians, while annexing 6.3 per cent of the West Bank to Israel. Olmert proposed a safe passage route from Hebron to the Gaza Strip through land that would remain Israeli sovereign territory but would not have any Israeli presense.

Currently, Olmert suggests that his plan provide the basis for a resumption of talks, even though his office has said that "Giving Abu Mazen the map [in September 2008] was conditioned upon signing a comprehensive and final agreement with the Palestinians so it would not be used as an 'opening position' in future negotiations the Palestinians sought to conduct. Ultimately, when Abu Mazen did not give his consent to a final and complete agreement, the map was not given to him."

Haaretz details Olmert's plan here.