Arabs sees little change from Israeli election

KHARTOUM, Mar 29 (Reuters) Arab leaders today said they expected little change after Israeli elections in which interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed victory on a plan to annexe parts of the occupied West Bank and impose a border on the Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the election result would make no difference unless Olmert changed his policies.

''This result will not change (anything) as long as the agenda of Olmert himself does not change and he does not abandon the question of 'unilateral agreements','' Abbas told reporters in Khartoum, where he is attending the annual Arab summit.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said: ''It's not comprehensible leaving the issue of Jerusalem or accepting unilateral withdrawals according to Israeli whims. This will not work but will only lead to worsening matters more and more.'' ''It is impossible to accept Israeli proposals that we have seen so far. Is there anything new the new Israeli government can come up with? Many Arabs don't think so, so the Arab world has to look at all the possibilities,'' he added.

In his election campaign Olmert pledged to pursue a plan to retain parts of the occupied West Bank holding large settlement blocs, give up other areas and impose a border unilaterally on the Palestinians.

The Arab summit, which ends today, renewed an Arab offer of peace with Israel in exchange for withdrawal from territory occupied since the 1967 Middle East war. Israel has in the past rejected the offer.

The summit also opposed unilateral steps by Israel, calling for a return to the multilateral peace negotiations under international supervision.

REUTERS SB RAI1408