"Call me if they get down to the Israeli prime minister."

It was a letter passed along to every Israeli prime minister since.

No Israeli prime minister who called early elections has ever won.

The Israeli prime minister said he was with him.

That is more solid backing than any recent Israeli prime minister has enjoyed.

"I don't believe any Israeli prime minister will be strong enough to move Jews from the land they are living on."

The Israeli prime minister said there were two issues that he regarded as central to any agreement: legitimacy and security.

An Israeli minister charged the poll as biased and not credible.

But the Israeli prime minister said that what he called the "two pillars to peace" must be resolved.

Diplomats had expected the Israeli prime minister to pay lip service to a peace deal and even to make some significant concessions.