OLMERT'S CHINESE ROOTS

Israel's Olmert Has a "Spiritual Connection" to China
Prior to his official visit to China, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert told Xinhua press agency, "I have a spiritual connection to China. China is the country which hosted my parents. They studied in China, they grew up in China and they spoke Chinese....The Chinese culture is part of my upbringing and my memories as a young boy in Israel. China is not just another country for me." Olmert's grandfather is buried in Harbin. Olmert visited the grave in 2004 as the Minister of Trade and Industry, but said he won't have time during this visit. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur)

China Renovates Jewish Cemetery Ahead of Israeli PM Visit - Mu Xuequan
China has spent $385,000 dollars repairing the Jewish cemetery in the city of Harbin in northeast China, ahead of the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is a son of a former Jewish resident of China. Olmert's grandparents moved to Harbin from Russia to flee persecution in the late 19th century. The number of Jewish people living in Harbin topped 25,000 in the 1920s. (Xinhua-China)