Olmert: No immunity for terrorists
Prime minister promises aid for southern residents, says Israel will decide when, where and how to act, with no external interference. Minister Yishai says every village that fires a rocket should be razed
"There will be no immunity for anyone involved in terror," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stressed at Sunday's cabinet meeting, adding that Israel would "act without a time limit and will not be subject to conditions from any outside source."
Olmert continued to update the ministers on the difficult situation in Sderot. "The Qassam attacks to the south continue," Olmert said, before being informed that a Qassam had killed a Sderot man Sunday morning.
"We have instructed the IDF to continue operating against the terrorists. In the past few days many dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad men have been hit. The operation was meant to hit anyone involved in the shooting, anyone providing means to commit the attacks, and everyone involved," the prime minister explained.
Responding to expected international pressure and criticism, Olmert said, "We are not subject to any timetable dictated from external bodies. We will decide when, where, and how we act."
Sympathizing with residents of the south, who have been under threat for almost two weeks, Olmert said, "The government is making great efforts to aid them. There is no doubt that these are very difficult days for residents of the south. Many ministers went down south, first and foremost is the defense minister, who sleeps in Sderot every night. They were asked to give an answer to the problems and there."
'Gov't will go above and beyond to aid residents'
In response to the southern residents' pleas, Olmert said, "We have petitioned the Finance Committee...to grant not only direct compensation, but also indirect compensation to the residents. Following the change in the Finance Committee's decision, aid will be given to 51 communities. The aid will be given in the period between May 16 and August 31. This gives a comprehensive solution to the financial problems in the area."
Olmert ended his speech at the Cabinet meeting by saying, "The Israeli government will do everything it takes, both militarily and in the civilian sector. It will go above and beyond for the southern residents. There will be no immunity for anyone involved in terror.
"Nonetheless, I don't want to create expectations that the Qassam attacks may be stopped completely, but we will do the maximum to protect the residents and aid them. I want to show my appreciation for the determination of the residents of Sderot, who cannot be made to abandon their town."
Peretz says 59 Palestinians killed
Defense Minister Amir Peretz briefed his fellow ministers on the IDF's operation in the Gaza Strip.
"We are not comparing between the number of missiles fired (by the Palestinians) and the number of our strikes. The IDF has a consecutive plan. We are focusing on dealing with the rocket launchers, the Hamas' facilities, the rocket manufacturing and the fund transfer," he said.
Peretz added that 14 Hamas posts were attacked over the weekend and that 59 Palestinians were killed, four of them Hamas members, four Islamic Jihad activists and nine civilians
Minister Eliyahu Yishai (Shas) called for a harsher Israeli response to the rockets in Sunday's meeting. "Every village that (a rocket) is fired from should be razed. After a village or two, the Qassams will stop."
Minister Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima), on the other hand, said that "there is no magic solution to the Qassams. Even when we were in Gaza they were shooting Qassams. Still I warn the terrorists that no one is immune."
