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Livni: As prime minister, I will topple Hamas regime in Gaza
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: israel news, ehud olmert 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni vowed on Sunday to end Hamas's rule in the Gaza Strip if she is elected prime minister in a February election.

"The state of Israel, and a government under me, will make it a strategic objective to topple the Hamas regime in Gaza," Livni told members of her centrist Kadima party. "The means for doing this should be military, economic and diplomatic."

The barrage of Qassam rocket fire by Gaza militants and what Israel's response should be dominated the discussion at Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting.
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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during the opening of the meeting that the government had agreed to the cease-fire with Hamas last June with little doubt or hesitation.

"Israel has always hoped for and wanted quiet for the residents of the south and that they should enjoy genuine calm and be free of the threat of unceasing Qassam and mortar attacks that have disrupted life in the south for a very long period," Olmert said.

During the meeting, politicians from across the political spectrum pointed fingers at and criticized one another over the deteriorating situation along Israel's border with the coastal territory.

Vice Premier Haim Ramon also on Sunday said that there is no need for a wider operation in Gaza, but that Hamas must be removed from power.

Ramon, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and others harshly criticized Defense Minister Ehud Barak's handling of the situation.

"I suggest that the person sitting on the 14th floor of the Defense Ministry wake up from the illusion that the cease-fire is good for Israel," Mofaz told Army Radio. "It is time to act. What are we waiting for? What else needs to happen? Are we waiting for children to die, for people to be injured?"

Mofaz continued by saying that the fact that Gilad Shalit is still being held captive by Hamas is the heavy price Israel has already paid for the truce, which was brokered by Egypt.

Barak and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called for calm at the meeting. "I won`t compete with hysterical voices [over Israel`s action in Gaza]," said Olmert. He added that he, Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni have discussed the situation in depth.

"A responsible government is neither eager for battle, nor does it shy away from it," said Olmert. "We will take the necessary measures with the necessary responsibility. I will not go into detail about the steps; neither will I raise the volume, since this has no bearing on reality, but only on the atmosphere that cannot be a basis for the conduct of government policy, especially during this sensitive and important time."

During the meeting on Sunday, Barak asked Olmert to call for quiet.

"We are listening to and feel the pain of those living in southern Israel," Barak said, "but some of the impassioned voices are harmful, unnecessary and hurt our endurance."

Barak continued by saying that the situation in Gaza is unacceptable, and that he has requested army and defense ministry officials to prepare plans for how to respond to the escalating violence.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said on Sunday that the cease-fire was a means to an end, and if the end goal is unattainable through a truce then other means must be considered.

Industry, Trade and Labor Minister and head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, Eli Yishai, accused Barak of not doing enough to stem the violence.

"If the Qassams were aimed at central Israel, the defense ministry would have already acted to end the truce," he said. Yishai added that Barak should move his office to Sderot, and said that would cause him to act differently.



Related articles:
  • Hamas mulls renewal of suicide bombings in Israel
  • Palestinians fire 9 Qassams into Israel, injuring one person
  • Amos Gilad, the man in charge of Israel's security


    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
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      1.   nothing done in haste or too much passion is ever good 11:55  |  De 21/12/08
      2.   What can we expect from a Kadima government ? 12:58  |  Jean Van Daem 21/12/08
      3.   "Barak requested army to prepare plans"-He had enough time BEFORE 12:59  |  Vittorio 21/12/08
      4.   Olmert says 13:11  |  Avi 21/12/08
      5.   to bury the head in the ground like an ostrich is stupid! 13:12  |  Jose 21/12/08
      6.   Olmerts a liar 13:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/12/08
      7.   #1 - A return to terrorism for Hamas only means it`s downfall? 13:36  |  Avi 21/12/08
      8.   Action not finger-pointing 13:46  |  Jeremy 21/12/08
      9.   Barak and `Prime Minister` ??? Olmert .... 13:58  |  Honesty 21/12/08
      10.   Olmert and Barak 13:59  |  Brod 21/12/08
      11.   We demand our government do something to ptotect us! 14:03  |  Wise Saba 21/12/08
      12.   fighting talk 14:06  |  k 21/12/08
      13.   Political Rhetoric and Inaction 14:26  |  Jake Perlmutter 21/12/08
      14.   its obvious 14:56  |  eric 21/12/08
      15.   Kadima decided its more important to... 14:58  |  Avi 21/12/08
      16.   The same party of the Disengagement 15:13  |  Ben Lollo 21/12/08
      17.   She wants to go back into Gaza and rule???? 15:14  |  De 21/12/08
      18.   ANOTHER GOLDA IS IN THE MAKING? 15:18  |  indrajaya 21/12/08
      19.   #15 Avi 15:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/12/08
      20.   Livni will topple Hamas---ha ha ha ha ha 15:40  |  Labhras 21/12/08
      21.   Let us keep Hamas and topple Kadima 16:01  |  17 21/12/08
      22.   Olmert YOU had best shy away from it..... 16:08  |  Natasha 21/12/08
      23.   Sounds like Iran 16:24  |  General Melchett 21/12/08
      24.   Livni will topple Hamas? What has chaned her Leftisyt Policies? 16:26  |  The Threadmill 21/12/08
      25.   livni will end it? LOL 16:33  |  Arie 21/12/08
      26.   De #1- I presume you live in TA or thereabouts! 16:34  |  Arie 21/12/08
      27.   Livni will do what whoever 16:34  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/12/08
      28.   The TA leftists sit quitly in the cafes screaming `patience` 16:36  |  Arie 21/12/08
      29.   Why Make Aliyah? 16:54  |  Irv 21/12/08
      30.   She`s going to take her sling and 17:01  |  Mark Lincoln 21/12/08
      31.   Israel as Albania? 17:41  |  Manny Goldstein 21/12/08
      32.   Response 18:29  |  spud murphy 21/12/08
      33.   Kadima `leftist`? How curious 19:13  |  Mark Lincoln 21/12/08
      34.   Livni!does it take an impending election for U to talk like that? 19:42  |  Alan SA 21/12/08
      35.   Livni possibly another `Joan of Arc` or `Helen of Troy`? 20:13  |  Samson 21/12/08
      36.   Go Tzippi, go ! And then topple Tehran`s monsters too !!! 23:22  |  Fortuna Benmayor 21/12/08
      37.   What`s got into Tzipi...?! 23:50  |  Esther 21/12/08
      38.   #27 CHRIS`JUST SHUT UP! YOU ARE OVERDOING THE BAD REPUTATION BIT! 00:07  |  KATHY 22/12/08
      39.   #21 OH !another gem from 17.Let us keep Hamas,and topple Kadima.. 00:11  |  KATHY 22/12/08
      40.   1) Topple Hamas 2) Intall Fatah 3) Create Palestinian State 00:12  |  Marcella 22/12/08
      41.   Livni, Hamas, and Gaza 00:19  |  Robert 22/12/08
      42.   the only way to topple hamas regime in gaza is to retake gaza 00:26  |  glenna 22/12/08
      43.   #27 chris`may i wish ... 00:35  |  Ross 22/12/08
      44.   oh Manny I can see you boy..even in cyberspace.. 00:43  |  Ross 22/12/08
      45.   Ya` gotta laugh! 02:30  |  Johnboy 22/12/08
      46.   talk,talk,talk barak;people now see how you respond;there`s more 04:04  |  glenna 22/12/08
      47.   Form Samson # 35 04:20  |  Fortuna Benmayor 22/12/08
      48.   Peace Is Never An Option 04:24  |  chet 22/12/08
      49.   Entebbe strike for Shalit 05:41  |  Carl Cuneo 22/12/08
      50.   It`s illegal for Tzipi Livni to threaten another state`s entity 09:23  |  Dutch 22/12/08
      51.   #38 Chet, I have news for you... 09:31  |  Dutch 22/12/08
      52.   Olmert/Livni/Barak, go do it, PROPERLY this time 14:52  |  Harvey 22/12/08
      53.   #48,50,51 01:46  |  Andre 23/12/08
      54.   lIVNI AND HAMAS 02:24  |  norma dosky 23/12/08
      55.   # 52 HARVEY.......I THOUGHT... 07:08  |  SUNDAY 23/12/08
      56.   Norma, Right on! 07:43  |  Dutch 23/12/08
      57.   Norma 54 09:24  |  moshe 23/12/08
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