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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israel News Roundup |
| 2006-07-17 |
| Israel Will Eliminate Hizbullah and Hamas Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed the Knesset and the world Monday evening, saying “Enough!” and promising to fight until the threats of Hamas and Hizbullah are removed from the region. Olmert began the speech by offering condolences to families of the soldiers and civilians killed in the last six days of war. “I want to offer a big hug to the families of the kidnapped and to the sons themselves.” The prime minister went on to say that Israel has been threatened on its borders and though the Jewish State did not request these battles, it will not back down from fighting them. “We stand at a national moment of truth. Will we agree to live under this evil threat or will we fight…There is no more just struggle than that we are now engaged in,” Olmert said, invoking the names of the grandmother and grandchild killed in a missile attack in Har Meron, 50-year-old Andrea Zeidman of Nahariya, killed while eating breakfast on her balcony, and Ella Abouksis, the teenage girl killed protecting her younger brother from a Kassam rocket on a Sderot street prior to the Gaza withdrawal. “Our enemies were mistaken to think that our desire to show restraint was a sign of weakness,” Olmert boomed. In a reiteration of his refusal to negotiate with Hizbullah or Hamas prior to the release of the kidnapped soldiers, Olmert said: “It is of regional and international interest to control and dismantle the terror organizations and remove this threat from the Middle East. We intend to do so.” Olmert explicitly pointed the finger at Iran and Syria, saying Hizbullah and Hamas “are nothing but emissaries, sent and supplied by enemies of peace in Tehran and Damascus.” He also said that even if Lebanon had no involvement in last Wednesday’s attack on an IDF patrol along the northern border, which killed eight soldiers and resulted in the kidnapping of two others, “it holds full responsibility for the attack launched from its sovereign territory and the same goes for the PA with regard to the Kerem Shalom attack. “Opposite the Palestinians we will fight until terrorism ceases, Gilad Shalit is brought home and the Kassam rockets stop,” Olmert said. "We will attack every terrorist staging area, destroy every terrorist base and liquidate members of the terror groups. Israel will not agree to live in the shadow of the threat of missiles and rockets on its citizens." “Our position in the north was backed up by the G8 yesterday,” he continued. “We demand a complete end to hostilities, the return of the two kidnapped soldiers and the compliance with the relevant UN resolutions…We withdrew to recognized borders according to the entire international community.” Olmert recited the mishebeirach, the prayer for Divine protection for the IDF during his speech from the Knesset podium.“I am more proud today than any other day in my life to be a citizen of the State of Israel,” Olmert concluded. “We will not surrender and we will not back down.” Senior Tanzim Terrorist in Custody (IsraelNN.com) IDF officials reported earlier on Monday night that senior Hevron area Fatah Tanzim terrorist Yousef Mahmud Ahmed Vered was taken into custody by IDF soldiers during the night. Iranian Missiles Destroyed by IAF (IsraelNN.com) Lebanese media is reporting IAF fighter planes struck a truck carrying long-range Iranian manufactured missiles on their way to Hizbullah. Israel Police: No Border Policeman was Kidnapped (IsraelNN.com) Israel Police a short time ago released an official announcement that all border police troops are accounted for; stating the Fatah al-Aqsa claim that a border policeman was kidnapped is untrue. Opposition Leader Netanyahu Takes the Podium (IsraelNN.com) Likud Party leader and opposition leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the nation from the Knesset following Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s address. “…We will defeat Hizbullah because our cause is just… we are witness to the difficult blows, the destruction of homes and how the children look on in horror… but our spirit is not broken.” Hizbullah has set its goal to destroy the Jewish People and the State of Israel and the terror organization is not alone,” mentioning Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as Syria.“There is no room for weakness and concession, only for strength, determination and fortitude.” Netanyahu mentioned how the Hizbullah rockets pound Haifa and other cities, Druse area as well, citing how Haifa is a mixed city living in peace, Jews and Arabs side-by-side. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 "Opposition Leader Netanyahu Takes the Podium" He'll be taking more than the podium, soon. From his speech today: "There is no room for weakness and concession, only for strength, determination and fortitude.” Niiiice!! |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2006-07-17 16:35 |
| #2 Israel better not do the ceasefire thingy while Hizb is on the ropes. They can talk about it, but just do not do it. Hamas and Hizb'Allah need to be destroyed. Period. The world, by pushing negotiations with Hamas and Hizb'Allah, are, in effect, giving legitimacy to terrorist organizations, and tacitly condoning the connections between these organizations and their Syrian and Iranian backers. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2006-07-17 16:14 |
| #1 Wonder if a new National Government has been considered. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-17 15:58 |