Quotes from the winners and losers in yesterday's Israeli elections and international reaction to the success of Kadima, the party of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which is committed to further unilateral withdrawals from the West Bank:

Ehud Olmert, acting Israeli Prime Minister and leader of Kadima:
"We will strive to bring about the establishment of the final borders of Israel as a Jewish state with a permanent Jewish majority, and as a democratic country. We will work to do this through negotiations, through an agreement with our Palestinian neighbours... There is no good alternative to a peace agreement."

Mr Olmert addressing the Palestinians:
"Acknowledging reality and circumstances, we are ready to compromise, to give up parts of the beloved Land of Israel... and evacuate, with great pain, Jews living there, to create the conditions that will enable you to fulfil your dream and live alongside us."

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President:
"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.'"

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman, on Kadima's plan to set Israel's borders:
"We view this plan as a very dangerous one because it represents a real liquidation of the Palestinian cause."

Binyamin Netanyahu, leader of Likud:
"There is no doubt that we have suffered a heavy blow. It is the second time in 100 days that we’ve been left in disarray after the departure of he who led us."

Danny Naveh, former Likud Health Minister:
"There can be no doubt that this is a very difficult hour for the Likud, a great catastrophe, the largest in the history of the party... I think we'll pretty much have to start all over again."

Amir Peretz, leader of Labour:
"We are the only party that will make sure the next government struggles for peace and social justice."

Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy Chief:
"I encouraged Mr. Olmert to pursue all efforts to move toward a peaceful, negotiated resolution of the Middle-East conflict. I assured him that the European Union stands ready, as always, to offer all its support in this process."

Tony Blair:
"I warmly congratulate Ehud Olmert and the Kadima party on their election victory. We will have new governments in place in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority within the coming weeks. I hope that both sides will do all they can to find a permanent solution to the conflict. I look forward to meeting Mr Olmert soon to discuss how we can take the peace process forward."

Philippe Douste-Blazy, French Foreign Minister:
Mr Olmert is "a man of unilateral policies... He has always wanted to recognize the existence of two peoples, two states that live in security and peace one next to the other. This is good news for peace."

Amr Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League:
"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?"

Walid al-Moualem, Syrian Foreign Minister:
"The ball is in the Israeli court because during these years since the launch of Madrid (the 1991 Madrid peace conference), Israel with all its ruling parties has put obstacles in the way of attaining peace,"

Yediot Aharonot, best selling Israeli newspaper:
"Ehud Olmert was given a punch in the nose. The voters accepted him and his plan, but did so with a decided lack of enthusiasm. He and his party are going to have to work hard to stabilize the government and to establish their public standing."

Yoel Marcus writing in Haaretz, Israeli liberal newspaper:
"It wasn’t the earthquake that Ariel Sharon had planned and wished for. But ... Tuesday’s election has led to a dramatic political turnaround... The fact that the voter, in his strange way, crushed the right seems to be a message to the acting prime minister: ’Take hold of the torch and keep going.’"

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