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Last update - 18:43 12/01/2009
Olmert: Gaza war won't end until rockets and smuggling stop
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: hamas, gaza, israel 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that he hoped to see a quick end to Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip, but emphasized that the war would go on until Hamas ceased its rocket fire and its smuggling tunnels were decimated,

Olmert told students at the French school in Mikveh Israel that Israel had "not declared war on Gaza residents," but that the fight against "the murderers of Gaza" often results in innocent civilians being caught in the crossfire.

"Every child and adult not involved with terror who has been caught as a casualty of our military efforts is a victim for which we apologize, which we want to prevent."
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The prime minister expressed his gratitude toward Egypt for working toward destroying the smuggling tunnels from Gaza and said he hoped dialogue with Cairo would yield positively.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said earlier Monday that there was no reason to negotiate with Hamas over restoring calm to the Gaza Strip as the group's words were "meaningless."

"I am not going to negotiate with Hamas and don't need them to sign anything for me. What they said is meaningless. This is what is called deterrence: they know that the next time they attack us, they will be harmed," the foreign minister told Israeli radio stations.

Livni said that additional military operations in the Gaza Strip could also be in the cards should "Hamas dare raise its head and strike Israel again. The war on terror will be long and difficult and we will use military force because that is how one fights terror ? with military force and no alternatives. When they fire [rockets], I've said before, we must return the fire."

Livni said that the current operation in Gaza has proven to Hamas that Israel will always respond to provocation. "Israel is a country that reacts vigorously when its citizens are fired up, which is a good thing," she said. "That is something that Hamas now understands and that is how we are going to react in the future."

Meanwhile, sources close to Olmert confirmed Sunday that he continues to disagree with Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak regarding the question of continuing the warfare in Gaza.

The so-called troika met Sunday evening to discuss the subject, and both Barak and Livni reportedly argued for ending Operation Cast Lead as soon as possible. This is apparently the reason Olmert wants to present the issue to the security cabinet, where the majority supports his view.

Livni contends that continuing the offensive could harm the deterrence it has achieved so far and damage Israel diplomatically. Barak objects mainly to inserting ground troops deep into densely populated areas of Gaza. For his part, Olmert told the full cabinet Sunday that stopping Operation Cast Lead now would be a missed opportunity.

Sources close to Olmert said Sunday, after the meeting of the three, that most of the security cabinet supports Olmert's stand or even believe the operation should be expanded. Olmert is likely to convene the security cabinet today to seek approval for an expansion of the operation.

Olmert's associates also said no one in the security cabinet supported Livni's position and that a few Labor ministers support Barak's position that an agreement should be reached with Hamas.

Olmert told the full cabinet Sunday: "The pressure we are exerting [on Hamas] must not be reduced. Anyone who broadcasts weakness will earn the good will of the global community for 12 seconds, but will not change anything essential."

Sources in the Prime Minister's bureau said Egypt has begun to relax its stance on bringing in American and European engineering experts to deal with the tunnels in the Rafah area.

Related articles:
  • Barak and Livni disagree with Olmert, want quick end to Gaza fighting
  • Hamas reportedly rejects Egypt bid for long-term Gaza truce
  • Despite IDF resistance, France urges European observers to monitor Gaza
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      1.   Don?t talk to Hamas - destroy it! 12:05  |  Jean Van Daem 12/01/09
      2.   deterrence is not a long term security assurance 12:36  |  arab 12/01/09
      3.   WELL SPOTTED,WELL SAID,MRS LIVNI 12:40  |  Ian 12/01/09
      4.   Negotiations and Diplomacy are key 12:40  |  Arab 12/01/09
      5.   Beware the glory of politicians 12:43  |  JO 12/01/09
      6.   destroy Hamas 12:49  |  thomas 12/01/09
      7.   Livni: Completely Witless -- Blathering Pseudo-Diplo-Speak 13:05  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 12/01/09
      8.   Olmert is finally getting it 13:16  |  judith 12/01/09
      9.   NEXT TIME ROUND 13:17  |  Zoe 12/01/09
      10.   Then you need a mediator... 13:17  |  Anne 12/01/09
      11.   Ever think.... 13:45  |  Scott G 12/01/09
      12.   To #2 13:46  |  Mudkips 12/01/09
      13.   The current operation in Gaza 13:49  |  J.Broos 12/01/09
      14.   Reoccupy Gaza 13:58  |  Robert 12/01/09
      15.   dont forget Gilad Shalit 14:18  |  eddie 12/01/09
      16.   The debate between the Troika 14:25  |  Brod 12/01/09
      17.   Gaza war won`t end 14:25  |  Dino 12/01/09
      18.   Civilians 14:33  |  Ned 12/01/09
      19.   Gaza war won`t end 14:35  |  Dino 12/01/09
      20.   meaningful 14:39  |  rm 12/01/09
      21.   We don`t need another Golda Meir, we need another Begin 17:52  |  Moshe 12/01/09
      22.   #8 Olmert has NOT gotten it yet 18:17  |  Dave 12/01/09
      23.   If only Kadima had not waited for so long before striking. 20:37  |  JL 12/01/09
      24.   Don`t believe Olmert and Others. 00:41  |  Gary 13/01/09
      25.   #21 Is that right, Moshe? 06:57  |  Johnboy 13/01/09
      26.   olmert 19:09  |  frank 13/01/09
      27.   More BS from land thieves & war mongers in Israel 09:59  |  Dutch 27/03/09
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