A hopeful development in Israeli-Palistinian dispute

I don't know what brought this on, but it's certainly a refreshing change:

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, has said Israel is ready to "withdraw from considerable territory", free Palestinian prisoners and release funds to the Palestinian Authority in exchange for the return of a soldier seized in June.

He also said a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was possibile if peace talks were begun.

It is the first time Olmert has offered to exchange prisoners for Gilad Shalit, whose capture in a cross-border raid by Palestinian militants triggered an Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip.

Olmert's speech came after a ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Sunday morning.

I hope these efforts lead somewhere. This is the first ray of hope I've seen in the Israeli-Palestinian situation in a very long time.