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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 23:56 10/02/2008
PM: Terror can't be wiped out in one fell swoop
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and DPA
Tags: Iran, Israel, Ehud Olmert 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday that while Israel was taking every course of action possible to stop the launching of rockets from Gaza, it was not possible to eradicate terror in "one fell swoop."

Olmert arrived in Berlin on Sunday for a series of meetings with top German officials including Chancellor Angela Merkel.

While en route to Germany, the prime minister told reporters: " "There is no way to stop the terror completely, in one fell swoop."
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When asked about direct assassination attempts on Hamas leaders, Olmert refused to comment.

He said he had no immediate plans to reach peace with Hamas, adding: I haven't heard Hamas talk about calm. Hamas is not a partner to negotiations as long as it does not accept the principle of the Quartet."

With regard to the Winograd Committee's report on the Second Lebanon War, the prime minister said: "I did not feel pressure to resign," he said, adding that he felt such calls for him to step down were weakening.

While in Germany, Olmert is planning to lobby for tougher measures to force Iran to curb a nuclear program he has called a threat to Israel's existence.

"The issues we will discuss in Germany are important for Israel's security," Olmert told reporters on the flight to Berlin, where he will spend two days.

A senior Israeli official said the time had come "to upgrade the economic and diplomatic pressure" on Iran.

The Israeli leader is to meet Merkel on Monday, and then again on Tuesday, after which they will hold a joint press conference.

Although Merkel and Olmert's agenda also includes instability, in Gaza in particular and the Middle East in general, the principal area in which Germany can flex its foreign-policy muscles is its political and economic relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

During his Berlin talks, Olmert will brief Merkel on peace negotiations he opened with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after a U.S.-led conference in Annapolis, Maryland in November.

Merkel said on Saturday that, "Germany and the European Union will do everything in their power to support the peace process ... Our goal is that a secure and stable Israel and a Palestinian state can live as neighbours in the region in peace and freedom."

The Israeli official said Olmert's visit to Berlin would help to strengthen an "already excellent relationship" with Germany and build on Israel's "remarkable improvement" in ties with the European Union over the past five years.

German officials said Merkel was keen to strengthen bilateral ties and that the talks with Olmert would prepare the ground for wider government consultations due to take place in Israel in March.

Olmert is also to meet President Horst Koehler and members of the Bundestag, the German lower house of parliament.

Olmert's visit comes ahead of a planned March trip of the German cabinet to Israel for a first-ever joint cabinet meeting as a sign of Germany's special solidarity with Israel in this year, the 60th of the Jewish state's founding.

The joint cabinet meeting would mark the first time ever that the German cabinet has convened outside of Europe.

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      1.   He`s sacrificed Sderot to appease EU,he`ll get zero help on Iran 18:53  |  Absolute Sweden 10/02/08
      2.   Olmert and Merkel: two sides of the same coin 19:27  |  Jonathan S 10/02/08
      3.   Olmert spinning in Berlin 19:28  |  Jonathan S 10/02/08
      4.   Will Olmert invite Merkel to a screening of Schindler`s List? 19:46  |  Clickfool 10/02/08
      5.   If not "one", how many? It`s time to pick up the phone to your 20:10  |  allies Olmert 10/02/08
      6.   OLMERT IS A TRAITOR 20:11  |  OLMERT=CRIMINAL 10/02/08
      7.   IDF should do the same thing, the populace 20:12  |  Cristo 10/02/08
      8.   Occupation breeds Civil Revolt (terrorism). 20:17  |  POP 10/02/08
      9.   Hope Merckel wont call him "Hermit "! 20:22  |  Stephen. 10/02/08
      10.   #1 Jonathan S 20:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/02/08
      11.   What use a nuclear weapon now? 20:34  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/02/08
      12.   The Peace bomb 20:44  |  Arab 10/02/08
      13.   Existential threats and escalating attacks are quite serious 20:45  |  Avi 10/02/08
      14.   Israel`s Existence 20:45  |  Howard Schwartz 10/02/08
      15.   We need space from our attacking enemies 20:54  |  Avi 10/02/08
      16.   #11 Avi 21:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/02/08
      17.   olmert and berlin 21:03  |  marcel 10/02/08
      18.   Terror CAN be wiped out very easly with a few well aimed missles 21:07  |  Jew 10/02/08
      19.   If already they are going to build a PA securtiy system, then 21:08  |  Jo 10/02/08
      20.   If you don`t have a solution... 21:11  |  Yonason Herschlag 10/02/08
      21.   agree in olmert 21:13  |  rico 10/02/08
      22.   Arab in Washington # 8 21:19  |  ChanahS 10/02/08
      23.   of course one bomb can do it. nuke gaza. 21:25  |  anup 10/02/08
      24.   Terror? 21:31  |  Arnold 10/02/08
      25.   olmert is the expert 21:33  |  marcel 10/02/08
      26.   From both sides? 21:45  |  Cheops 10/02/08
      27.   This is how Olmert runs away from Sderot 21:52  |  Robert Tanner 10/02/08
      28.   To Jonathan S 21:53  |  christoph 10/02/08
      29.   Olmert is in cloud cuckoo land 22:00  |  METZKER 10/02/08
      30.   Unthinkable #17 22:04  |  Macabee 10/02/08
      31.   someone should point out to Olmert..... 22:09  |  jbl 10/02/08
      32.   Occupation breeds Civil Revolt (terrorism). 22:14  |  POP 10/02/08
      33.   For Christoph 22:29  |  Jonathan S 10/02/08
      34.   while this clown is in power the terrorists will take advantage 22:30  |  zionist forever 10/02/08
      35.   Cathage Must Be Destoyed 22:57  |  Cato the Elder 10/02/08
      36.   "such calls for him to step down were weakening" .. 23:14  |  redmike 10/02/08
      37.   Idiots breed like flies... 23:34  |  Linichka 10/02/08
      38.   no can do 23:34  |  rob 10/02/08
      39.   Jew #17, you are correct! 23:56  |  Scientist 10/02/08
      40.   Anup is has a point - Carpet bomb Gaza now 00:04  |  Peacelover 11/02/08
      41.   And how many strikes does it take to wipe out terror, Mr. Olmert? 00:22  |  Tosefta 11/02/08
      42.   Consequences of a new Gaza takeover by Israel 00:23  |  Tosefta 11/02/08
      43.   35 Cato - Remember the Survivors? 00:32  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/02/08
      44.   Never a Word 00:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/02/08
      45.   sderot 00:36  |  kay 11/02/08
      46.   Israel is not sustainable 00:38  |  Truth 11/02/08
      47.   Land Based CIWS 00:39  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/02/08
      48.   on the one hand ... on the other hand ... 00:47  |  flimflam 11/02/08
      49.   yes it can,just throw the bum out 00:54  |  chaim 11/02/08
      50.   to Anup and "Peacelover" 00:55  |  anangryjew 11/02/08
      51.   Quartet Principles are a `Balkans` Suicide Pact 01:13  |  Joseph . E 11/02/08
      52.   arab 12 01:17  |  alan 11/02/08
      53.   The split of the Land of Israel with Gaza and West Bank as a pal 01:28  |  Joseph . E 11/02/08
      54.   First thing first 01:31  |  Gene 11/02/08
      55.   Every Bin Laden Whether a Pal Leader or Not is a Kosher Kill 01:45  |  Joseph . E 11/02/08
      56.   "Truth" #46 believes his own lies! 01:47  |  The real "Truth" 11/02/08
      57.   Mark of Lewiston 47 01:48  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08
      58.   I beg to Differ, Mr. Olmert 01:54  |  Aryeh 11/02/08
      59.   one fell swoop 01:58  |  Shmuelshachor 11/02/08
      60.   Wiping out ... 02:18  |  Frank 11/02/08
      61.   Like Duh! 02:22  |  Mark Lincoln 11/02/08
      62.   #8 POP u putz 02:23  |  * BEN JABO 11/02/08
      63.   #11 LInthwaite - Nuke not necessary 02:25  |  * BEN JABO 11/02/08
      64.   To 14 - Howard Schwart - OLMERT is the bigges THREAT to Israel 02:33  |  Dagma 11/02/08
      65.   Mark Of Lewiston, do you believe that? 02:54  |  Ibrahim 11/02/08
      66.   PM:"terror can`t be wiped out in one fell swoop" 03:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/08
      67.   No, it will take two fell swoops, the 1st being ousting Olmert 03:06  |  Dr. L. Brnd 11/02/08
      68.   "Every Course Possible" 03:46  |  Ron 11/02/08
      69.   #8 POP. "Tear Down The Walls." 03:49  |  Maureen Ann 11/02/08
      70.   Oslo policy of "land for peace" leads to the policy of "land for 03:57  |  Joseph . E 11/02/08