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Ehud Olmert. Risks
Photo: AP
Photo: AP
Tzipi Livni. Missing something
Photo: AP
Uriel Reichman, Worried
Photo: Shalom Bar-Tal

We can't fortify ourselves senseless, says Olmert

PM speaks of financial plans, Gaza and kidnapped soldiers at Caesarea forum in Haifa. 'Life in Israel has its risks' he says

There is no immediate solution for the security problems which plague the residents of the Gaza vicinity communities, said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Thursday, speaking at the Caesarea Forum, held by the Israel Democracy Institute in Haifa.

 

"Life in Israel involves some risks," said Olmert, "But the risks we face here are far lesser than the ones threatening Jews around the world."

 

"The terrorists wish to bring Israel to its knees by hurting innocent people …by kidnapping soldiers and praying on the fact that we care for our people by releasing pre-recorded tapes and dictated letters.

 

"Israel will not give in to blackmail," said Olmert. "We will weigh our options carefully and balance our interests with the desire to free Gilad (Shalit) Udi (Ehud Goldwasser) and Eldad (Regev) as soon as possible."

 

As for fortifying the Gaza vicinity communities, Olmert doesn’t think that armoring every building is the answer.

 

"This is just like the demands to solve the Qassam problem by wiping out entire communities in the Gaza Strip. We can't fortify ourselves senseless because there would never be an end to it."

 

The prime minister spoke of the risks Jews face in Israel as in all over the world, saying "we (the government) expect the leader of our communities and the media to be responsible and not to encourage demands any self-respecting government couldn't possibly act on."

 

Still missing something 

At the same time, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was speaking as the Labor house in Tel Aviv.

 

"I wanted to be here because it's important to me to show you that we are still missing the same thing we were two year ago (in Labor).

 

"Kadima isn't a one-time thing and it's not going anywhere. We still have a lot to do…our goal is a dual-nation State, but the road to a Palestinian state goes through the war on terror," said Livni.

 

Professor Uriel Reichman, co-founder of the Kadima party who left it after being passed over for minister of education by Olmert called Thursday for a primary elections in Kadima before the end of the year.

 

Reichman spoke at the opening ceremony of the new Kadima house in Herzliya.

 

"Never had Israeli politics seen a case in which the ruling party lost 80 percent of its power in 18 months…we are judged by the public and the verdict is harsh," he said.

 

Reichman was most worried about what he called the "governmental deterioration" in Israel.

 

Not a one-man party 

Faced with corruption in power, the loss of military deterrence and the destabilization of Israel's global standing, the country, he said, in loosing on all fronts.

 

Despite his criticism, Reichman doesn’t think all is lost for Kadima, but believes action must be taken swiftly and primaries must be held before the end of the year.

 

Olmert, he said, was never really elected to head the party, since being deputy chairman he simply stepped in (when Ariel Sharon became incapacitated).

 

"We must act as a democratic party and hold proper elections. This isn't a one-man party."

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.28.07, 23:52
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