Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 1 July 2008
"We agreed to a calm on the basis of very clear parameters of what is
permitted. What we are prepared to accept. That there is in it no danger -
not now and not in the future - for the residents of the South. That there
is not in it strengthening. That there is not in it Qassam firing or mortar
shells towards the communities of the South."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in a speech at the Negev Conference on 1 July
(IMRA's translation) as broadcast live on Israel Radio
The barefaced lie: "That there is not in it strengthening."
Sure - Egypt is supposed to work harder on stopping the smuggling. But even
if they actually did, under the agreement Hamas can engage in weapons
production in the Gaza Strip without interference (the Gaza Strip of
choc-a-bloc with the material needed to manufacture rockets, bombs, etc.),
recruit and train troops. It can build bunkers and lay mines.
If that isn't "strengthening" what is?
If that isn't increasing the "danger" what is it?
Question #1: Did Prime Minister Ehud Olmert forget what the agreement was
or did he hope that his audience forgot?
Question #2: Which is worse? That PM Olmert is genuinely clueless about
the agreement or that he lies to the public about it?]
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Olmert: Israeli patience in face of truce violations limited
PM Olmert says Israel has shown some patience in face of truce violations,
but will respond forcefully should ceasefire not be maintained; Palestinian
leader Abbas: We want to keep this truce going
Yonat Atlas YNET Latest Update: 07.01.08, 18:39 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3562718,00.html
Olmert issues warning: Israel realizes an absolute truce cannot be enforced
immediately, and therefore has shown some patience in the face of Gaza
ceasefire violations, but this should not be perceived as weakness, Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday afternoon.
"Should the lull not be maintained, we will respond with full force," he
said.
A day after the latest ceasefire violation, a Qassam rocket fired at
southern Israel, Olmert delivered a speech at the Negev Conference, saying
that "nobody will shy away from the need to retaliate harshly" should the
Gaza truce not be maintained.
"We agreed on a ceasefire that puts an end to the military buildup, Qassam
fire, mortar shell fire, and any kind of terrorist activity directed at
southern communities," he said.
'Syria talks to continue'
Turning his attention to indirect negotiations with Syria, the prime
minister said that the indirect talks will continue until the process
matures into negotiations that lead to a comprehensive peace deal.
"At the same time, we shall continue our talks with the Palestinians. I will
be meeting with (Palestinian leader) Mahmoud Abbas and continue the indirect
meetings with Syria," the prime minister said.
Before his speech, PM Olmert toured the nuclear reactor in Dimona and met
with senior officials at the site.
'Sea of peace'
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed hope that a lasting
peace deal with Israel could be reached before the end of the year, ahead of
a meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday.
Abbas, who joined Barak and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani at a Socialist
International conference in Greece, said his government would work to keep
alive the truce between Israel and Hamas.
"Israel will live in an island and sea of peace if Israel withdraws from
Arab and Palestinian territories," Abbas told the conference. "We witness
some steps in this direction which may stop this violence and bloodshed...
Now there has been an agreement and we hope it will be kept. We want to keep
this truce going.
"We hope that before the end of this year, and this is a hope, we can reach
a true agreement for the end of the occupation and violence ...between
Israel and Palestine," Abbas said, qualifying his statements by adding that
"the painful truth is that we still have a long way to go to achieve
success."
First Published: 07.01.08, 18:15
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