Olmert hosts Lieberman

U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem. Olmert hosted the Connecticut Independent on Sunday for talks about Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that Lieberman briefed Olmert on his recent talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. “Prime Minister Olmert described the difficulties on contacts posed by the continued firing of Kassam rockets at Israel and the strengthening of Hamas in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said. “Prime Minister Olmert expressed his deep appreciation for Sen. Lieberman’s courage and for honoring his principles on issues related to Israel.”The two also discussed U.S. policy toward Iraq and the West’s capabilities for dealing with the Iranian threat.