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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (AP)
Last update - 20:11 07/05/2008
Olmert: Solution to Mideast conflict is not far out of reach
By Yuval Azoulay and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents and The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, IDF, Shimon Peres 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday voiced hope that the solution for the Middle East conflict was within reach, speaking at an official memorial ceremony for Israel's victims of terror at the national military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

"There is nothing we desire more than to end the conflict with our neighbors, and there is nothing that would benefit both sides more than the end of the conflict," Olmert said.

"This is in no way a conflict without a solution, despite the difficulties and pitfalls. The principles to resolving it, I can say with authority, are not so far out of reach," he continued.
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"Among our neighbors there are leaders who understand this, and we are conducting serious negotiations with them. However, the axis of hate, terror and provocation which is warring in our region, the head of which is known, is doing its utmost to fan the hatred and nourish the violence. Therefore, achieving peace is conditional on the joining together of all those who desire peace and stability in the region, with the strong backing of the international community, against the unholy alliance which constitutes the axis of terror," Olmert added.

"Had our neighbors responded in 1948 to our hand extended in peace - how many victims would have been spared from both sides! How tremendous the suffering and loss, and how powerful the pain and grief which would have been prevented! How vast the resources destroyed in the name of the foolish illusion (which is, regrettably, still prevalent in certain parts of the Middle East) of bringing an end to the State of Israel, while criminally neglecting the real possibility of rehabilitating the refugee camps, ending poverty and illness, dousing flames, resolving hardships, broadening minds, building a better human and national future," the prime minister said.

Earlier Wednesday, Olmert spoke at a separate ceremony on Mount Herzl, marking Yom Hazikaron, Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism.

Olmert emphasized the unifying power of national mourning, saying "there is no one in Israel to whom the price of war is alien."

"This special day wipes away our divisions. The feeling of unity and shared destiny is stronger than ever... Memorial Day is a sad day, but free of any disagreements and very Israeli," Olmert said.

The prime minister addressed the bereaved families directly, telling them: "We will always hold in our hearts a debt of honor to your children."

Moments before Olmert spoke, Israel at 11 A.M. on Wednesday observed two minutes of silence to mark the memorial day.

As the sirens rung out, pedestrians stood at attention, traffic came to a standstill as motorists stepped out of their cars and radio and TV programming was halted.

Throughout the day, radio stations played somber music and devoted programs to retelling the stories of soldiers killed in battle, and places of entertainment, such as movie houses and restaurants, were closed.

The nation's top leaders, including President Shimon Peres and Israel Defense Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, were among those in attendance.

Speaking at another ceremony, Olmert recalled witnessing horrific images at bombings in Jerusalem.

"I cannot help but think of how deep the moral gap is between us and our enemies, he said. We make every possible effort to limit and focus our attacks on the terrorists and we never intentionally harm the innocent ... We don't have mothers who joyfully send their children to blow themselves up in packed buses or in busy malls," he said.

This Memorial Day still bears fresh memories of the 2006 Second Lebanon War with Hezbollah guerrillas, which badly rattled the country and left 119 soldiers dead, along with 40 civilians killed in rocket fire on northern Israel.

Staff Sgt. Oz Tzemah was one of the last soldiers to fall, when a Hezbollah anti-tank missile killed him and his crew on Aug. 12, 2006, during the war's final 48 hours. He was posthumously honored with a medal for his bravery in saving his fellow crewmen before being struck down.

His father Haim said Memorial Day primarily served the country and its average citizens, rather than the bereaved families themselves.

"We don't need it to remember. We remember him every minute, every hour, every day, all the time," he said. "My interpretation is that it is a national day in which the society in Israel does its soul searching and looks back and sees the price we paid to get here. And we paid a very, very, very heavy price, the heaviest you can pay."

While the somber mood is respected nearly universally, some Palestinian pedestrians continued about their business during the sirens in Jerusalem - reflecting the deep divisions in the city.

Meanwhile, dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem residents attacked a national-religious man, 50, after noticing that he was carrying an Israeli flag.

Police at the scene rescued the man unharmed, but in order to do so had to use force and sprayed the Haredim with tear gas.

Earlier Wednesday, dozens of Haredim in Beit Shemesh demonstrated against the memorial day.

Soon after the Jerusalem ceremony, memorials were to be held in 43 military cemeteries throughout the country, where the state was to be represented by MKs and ministers.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak was to represent the government at the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul.

The memorial ceremonies will end with a torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl, which will be followed by celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence.

The memorial day began on Tuesday evening, also with Israel observing a minute of silence.

Ashkenazi: Israel still surrounded by groups who refuse to accept its existence

Speaking at the official ceremony marking the solumn day, Ashkenazi on Tuesday night spoke of Israel's ongoing struggle against groups and states which refuse to recognize its existence.

"Sixty-three years since the end of the Holocaust, the greatest atrocity in human history, we remain surrounded by countries, by peoples, by organizations, that refuse to come to terms with our existence in our homeland," Ashkenazi told the crowd at the ceremony near the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The IDF chief told the bereaved families: "Unfortunately, this last year we added, with a shaking hand, more names to the memorial wall. Since last year's Memorial Day, and through this week, 65 more fatalities were added, and their number since 1860, when the first Jews moved outside of Jerusalem's walls, has reached 22,437 dead in the State of Israel's wars."

Also speaking at the ceremony, President Shimon Peres said, "We are ready to pay a price for the day of peace."

The president struck a tone that was at once placating and defiant: "We are ready to pay in exchange for the day of peace, in exchange for a smile of children, Palestinian children, Jordanian, Egyptian and Syrian, too. We want to shake hands, but our enemies know that we are capable of pressing the trigger."

Referring to the site where the ceremony was held, Peres said: "Thousands of years of history look out at you from this place. This hallowed place, which knew the disheartened feeling of the vanquished and the pride of victors. It saw the arrogant conquerors coming in, it saw the legions marching off to slavery, nations disintegrating and disappearing, and it saw us, the children of the Jewish people, marching to exile and returning here in order to fight for our home. It is your children who fought for our home," President Peres told the bereaved parents.

Olmert spoke Tuesday at a memorial event held on Ammunition Hill.

The prime minister expressed his hope that Israel would soon move toward peace.

"This year, too, when we had to carry out intensive military operations in various fronts against the terrorism that continuously and brutally claims its victims, hope remained in our hearts for a different tomorrow. A tomorrow that will bring with it a possibility, a tomorrow that will bring with it peace."

"The hope for real peace with all our neighbors was and will remain the most central aspect of our lives in this blood-soaked land," he said.



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      1.   Only 22,437 dead 10:55  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      2.   How many memorial days a year does Israel have? 10:59  |  Ian Frost. 07/05/08
      3.   Cult? 11:10  |  Danielle 07/05/08
      4.   Chris Linthwaite the counting machine 11:20  |  Hastaroth 07/05/08
      5.   Chris Linthwaite the stupid 11:24  |  Hastaroth 07/05/08
      6.   Danielle 11:27  |  BS 07/05/08
      7.   Eager convertite "Chris" Yoyne Lintwit,scale it to GB size 11:31  |  Absolute Sweden 07/05/08
      8.   Olmert speaks with forked tongue. "We are tired of winning" 12:00  |  roc 07/05/08
      9.   #4 Hastaroth 12:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      10.   gee, Chris, your figures are BS!?!! 12:33  |  Akiva P 07/05/08
      11.   #7 Absolute Sweden 12:34  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      12.   \the Cult of death perpetuated by the Prime Minister 12:36  |  Ian Frost 07/05/08
      13.   #10 Akiva P 12:54  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      14.   As Long as the Price of Peace is the Land of Israel 13:04  |  Joseph.E 07/05/08
      15.   Obtuse convertite "Chris" Yoyne Lintwit,Sweden were like you`re 13:21  |  Absolute Sweden 07/05/08
      16.   There are few ---the current PM,FM and the President 13:38  |  Sal 07/05/08
      17.   Diplomacy will not be satisfied till the Jews become an 13:41  |  Joseph.E 07/05/08
      18.   #15 Absolute Sweden 13:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      19.   Superficial Words... no Israeli needs to hear them! 13:50  |  Dolly 07/05/08
      20.   Why does Israel indoctrinate it`s youth into an Occupational Forc 13:57  |  *BEN JABO 07/05/08
      21.   Israelis are not alone against terror 14:00  |  Mawloud Ould Daddah 07/05/08
      22.   Please Mr, Olmert - better you say Nothing.... 14:07  |  Dagma 07/05/08
      23.   yom hazikaron 14:13  |  issam 07/05/08
      24.   Cheap is to the Arabs the Price of War . 14:13  |  Joseph.E 07/05/08
      25.   Aspiring to Britishness,unversed in GB`s history convertite "Chri 14:14  |  Absolute Sweden 07/05/08
      26.   JosephE, Olmert is using comments, to cover his criminal acts 14:26  |  Simon 07/05/08
      27.   #25 Absolute Sweden answer the question 14:26  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      28.   Especialy when you have to fight someone else`s war 14:28  |  Isratinian 07/05/08
      29.   Olmert Honor to our children, while Halutz is cashing his stock 14:31  |  Simon 07/05/08
      30.   Olmert pay the "dept of honor" resign now. 14:34  |  Simon 07/05/08
      31.   Israel indoctrinates it`s Terrorist IDF. Kill or goto jail, kids. 14:40  |  *BEN JABO 07/05/08
      32.   Convertite "Chris" Yoyne Lintwit,Sweden was like Swiss signing 14:45  |  Absolute Sweden 07/05/08
      33.   Chris Linthwaite`s believes 15:27  |  SG 07/05/08
      34.   ...and there is no Pals that has not been touched by Isreals wars 16:13  |  American 07/05/08
      35.   Chris Linthwaite 16:17  |  Honest Observation 07/05/08
      36.   To Chris 16:21  |  Laughing out loud 07/05/08
      37.   Maybe it´d have been wiser of Olmert to excuse himself to speak 16:40  |  AliciaYasmeen 07/05/08
      38.   Honestly? To #2 16:49  |  Evan Gildenblatt 07/05/08
      39.   Disgusted 16:50  |  Evan Gildenblatt 07/05/08
      40.   #1 Mr Linthwaite 16:53  |  Robert/Montreal 07/05/08
      41.   #35 Honest Observation 16:59  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      42.   #36 Laughing out loud 17:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      43.   #33 SG 17:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/05/08
      44.   Honest Observation 17:08  |  Buddha 07/05/08
      45.   #34 American remember 9/11 the Palis celebrated with Candies & Da 17:15  |  Robert/Montreal 07/05/08
      46.   Understand the price of War??? 17:27  |  Joe 07/05/08
      47.   to # 36 17:28  |  al arabi 07/05/08
      48.   1Hey linwait. 22,437 not enough? You prefer another 6,000,000?... 17:37  |  bat yam 07/05/08
      49.   of course it is,it will be the peace of the dead 17:51  |  chaim schonbrun 07/05/08
      50.   What olmert is saying is at odds with what Pals are saying 17:57  |  Sam 07/05/08
      51.   Israel should be proud 18:01  |  Dave Duncan 07/05/08
      52.   written by a Canadian Soldier 18:03  |  Robert/Montreal 07/05/08
      53.   #39 Chaim schonbrun 18:08  |  Sadie Frost 07/05/08
      54.   Olmert: Solution to Mideast conflict is within reach 18:10  |  Natallie Durson 07/05/08
      55.   you mean you are leaving office? 18:33  |  Livni 07/05/08
      56.   What a load of old cobblers 18:43  |  Rowan 07/05/08
      57.   The formation of Jordan was the SOLUTION 18:48  |  Jeff 07/05/08
      58.   To Alicia Yasmeen # 37 - Wiser if Olmert did not speak 19:09  |  Natasha 07/05/08
      59.   Solution to your dreams 19:11  |  Joshua 07/05/08
      60.   Chris linthwaite 19:16  |  Robert/Montreal 07/05/08
      61.   More about starving Gazans 19:22  |  Robert/Montreal 07/05/08
      62.   Who are you kidding Olmert? 19:31  |  The Arab Hammer 07/05/08
      63.   Chris Linthwaite-#41 & Buddha #44 19:41  |  Honest Observation 07/05/08
      64.   # 57 Jeff 19:42  |  Axel 07/05/08
      65.   "I can not help but think how deep the moral gap is...... 19:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
      66.   #59 Joshua 19:43  |  Sadie Frost