Al-Quds city (Jerusalem), April 01, SPA -- Formally handing over the reins of government, outgoing Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert urged new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue the peace process. "There is no other path for the state of Israel, other thanstriving for peace," Olmert told Netanyahu during a ceremony inJerusalem formally celebrating the changing of the guards. "I am ending my task with a sense of pride and satisfaction," anat times visibly emotional Olmert said. "I have no bitterness oranger. ... "But one thing I didn't get to do. I didn't get to realize mydream of arriving at real peace with our neighbors." President Shimon Peres, who hosted the red-carpet ceremony at hisJerusalem residence, urged the Netanyahu government to "adopt thevision of two states for two peoples," as had the outgoing governmentat the November 2007 peace summit in Annapolis, Maryland, according to a report of DPA. Netanyahu and his government were sworn in late Tuesday, after 69of the Knesset's 120 lawmakers voted confidence in it. Another 45voted against, while the remaining six abstained, including fiveLabor Party members who vehemently opposed their leader Ehud Barak'sdecision to join the Netanyahu coalition. An Arab-Israeli legislator,Ahmed Tibi, also stayed away from the swearing in as a protestagainst the right-leaning government. After Wednesday's hour-long hand-over ceremony, thenew cabinet, the 32nd in Israel's 60-year history, posed for itstraditional photograph with the president, whose duties are largelyceremonial but who is the official head of state. The Netanyahu government, with as many as 30 ministers and ninedeputies, is the largest and most expensive in Israeli history. Sworn in seven weeks after elections, it is the result of tediouscoalition negotiations, with Netanyahu, 59, making every effort toavoid a narrow right-wing government. He succeeded last week inconvincing the Labour Party to join, when its Convention voted infavor despite strong opposition within the party caucus.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/650077