"We must work toward expediting the fortification process; the situation here is not simple," President Shimon Peres said
Monday during a visit to Eshkol Regional Council and Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Qassam-battered western Negev region.
Deadly Mortar Attack
Father of 3 killed in mortar attack, IAF strike kills girl in Gaza / Yonat Atlas
Mortar shell crashes into kibbutz factory, claims life of 51-year-old Amnon Rosenberg. Hamas claims responsibility for attack. IAF strikes gunmen in Gaza, Palestinians say young girl killed
The president told the council leaders that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
agreed to authorize the Gaza-vicinity communities to begin the fortification process independently.
Eshkol Council head Haim Yalin told Peres during the meeting "I hope that following your visit here you will be able to convey to the government and the Knesset the Negev residents' sense of abandonment in the face of Hamas and the bureaucracy regarding the fortification."
Addressing the Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel
and the armed Palestinian groups in Gaza, Peres said "No deal has been struck as of yet. We are conducting negotiations through Egypt; I do not believe (kidnapped IDF soldiers Gilad) shalit will be part of such an agreement."
Peres later met with members of Kibbutz Nir Oz, who told him of the hardships that come with living under the constant threat of mortar and rocket fire without adequate fortification and the economic difficulties they are facing as a result.
The president also addressed the renewed peace talks with Syria, saying "I invite President Bashar Assad to Jerusalem to declare that his intentions regarding the peace process are sincere.
"Only if there are direct high-level talks will there be a chance for peace," he added.
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