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Olmert during tour of soth
Photo: AFP

We know how to strike, Olmert tells southern residents

PM, Deputy Defense Minister Vilnai visit Gaza vicinity communities that are under almost daily rocket attacks. In meeting with children, Olmert says he shares their fears, Israel cannot tolerate attacks

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Gaza vicinity communities on Tuesday and met with children of the Qassam-stricken areas in schools and kindergartens. No Qassam rockets were fired at Israel Tuesday morning.

 

Sixth-grader Oren Sagai of Sderot read a note she wrote to the prime minister at her school. "I want to share my feelings with you, mister prime minister. When a Color Red alarm is sounded, it's very difficult. It's not a normal reality for a child to live between one bomb shelter and another.

 

"You have to live here to understand the situation and see how you can help. I know that everything that has a beginning has an end as well, and hope this situation comes to an end."

 

In response to the letter Olmert said, "I am very touched. I would like to tell Oren that I am and have been sharing your fears and concerns for a long time."

 

Olmert continued to praise the students on their high grades despite the stress they are under and said anyone who thought the fear brought by the attacks would break the children's spirits was wrong.


Olmert hugging child in Kibbutz Gevim kindergarten (photo: AFP)

  

The prime minister warned against continued attacks. "I would like to say with the greatest of care that we do not for one moment tolerate such a lifestyle in which we have to run to shelters to hide from our enemies.

 

"We know what needs to be done, we also know when and how to do it so that you won't live in fear, you won't have to run short of breath. We know what to do, how, and when and we will do it."

 

Olmert also met with local council heads and residents in Kibbutz Gevim near Sderot. The residents thanked the prime minister for the NIS 600 million (about $152 million) in the second stage of the fortification plan.

 

"I said we wouldn't just protect ourselves and I meant it. We do not plan to build the foundations of this State on protection, but we also have to do what needs to be done at the current time to save lives.

 

"The State of Israel cannot live under these conditions in the long term," Olmert said. "As long as I am responsible… we will work to get you out of this situation. The other side also knows that the Israeli government doesn't just know how to protect itself, but also knows how to strike."

 

Deputy Defense Minister MK Matan Vilnai (Labor-Meimad) who toured Sderot and the Gaza vicinity communities along with Olmert made similar statements.

 

"(The escalation) will end with a blow to Hamas' head," he said, "but we shouldn’t be rushed. We know what needs to be done and we'll do it when the time is right, in order to produce the desired results."

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.09.08, 16:21
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