[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: "He said that it must be clear to all Israelis in
general, and to residents of the south in particular, that the Government
will do its utmost in both the civil and military spheres, and that there
will be no restrictions on action against terrorist elements and those
responsible for terrorism."

Why should this be clear when it simply isn't true?

Oh. Wait a minute. Consider the grammar of the sentence.

It is future tense. Not present tense.

Today there are restrictions on action. The IDF is not authorized yet to
carry out the massive ground operation that is commonly recognized to be the
only thing that can actually stop the madness.

But, never fear - in the future "there will be no restrictions".

And when will that future be?

After the Labor Party primaries?

No.

More likely after the Qassams manage to do such dramatic damage that its the
top story on CNN for at least 12 hours.

That's a lot of time.

So here is a Sderot prayer:

"Please - when a rocket barrage manages to kill a lot of people - let it be
a slow news day in the world."]
====================

CABINET COMMUNIQUE
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 27.5.07:

1. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert discussed the continued firing of Kassam
rockets at southern Israel, including the city of Sderot
( http://tinyurl.com/39azfb ). He said that the IDF has been instructed to
continue counter-terrorist operations and emphasized that no one involved in
terrorism is immune.

Prime Minister Olmert said that recent events have taken a heavy emotional,
mental and practical toll on the residents of southern Israel, including the
city of Sderot. IDF Home Front Command is maintaining an unprecedented
deployment throughout the region, as are the Israel Police and the relevant
Government ministries, in order to respond to all problems that arise. He
said that it must be clear to all Israelis in general, and to residents of
the south in particular, that the Government will do its utmost in both the
civil and military spheres, and that there will be no restrictions on action
against terrorist elements and those responsible for terrorism.

2. Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and ISA
Director Yuval Diskin briefed ministers on current diplomatic and security
affairs regarding both Sderot and communities near the Gaza Strip and the
region as a whole.

Defense Ministry Director-General Pinchas Buchris briefed ministers on
various issues regarding assistance and structural protection for the
residents of Sderot and communities near the Gaza Strip.

Defense Minister Peretz noted that 191 Kassam rockets and dozens of mortar
rounds have been fired at Israeli territory since the escalation began. He
said that the weekend was marked by a continuing decline in the number of
rockets fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Defense Minister commended
the efforts of both the IDF and the Defense Ministry in providing support
for residents of Sderot and the communities near the Gaza Strip, including
hosting them at defense establishment facilities.

Foreign Minister Livni noted that the international community is monitoring
the escalation in the Gaza Strip with increasing concern.

3. The Cabinet approved a NIS 260,589 budget for the Israel Nature and
National Parks Protection Authority ( http://tinyurl.com/b2hsy ) for 2007.
See http://tinyurl.com/23gfx for further details.

4. The Cabinet discussed the continued development of the ports of Haifa and
Ashdod ( www.israports.org.il ). See http://tinyurl.com/23gfx for
further details.

5. In the framework of the plans to aid Sderot and the communities near the
Gaza Strip in 2007, the Cabinet decided to update the geographic demarcation
of "greater Sderot". In a 2004 decision, the Cabinet defined "greater
Sderot" to include the Municipality of Sderot and those areas bordering on
the city that - inter alia - serve it.

In March 2007, the Israel Land Administration ( http://tinyurl.com/bcycx )
decided to extend the validity of favorable land price terms for 'greater
Sderot" until 31.12.07. The ILA determined that when and if the Cabinet
decides that the employment zone (as per Plan #28/303/02/7) is within
"greater Sderot", the favorable terms would be extended to it as well.