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Olmert Calls Gaza Campaign 'True War'
Sunday, December 23, 2007
JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday ruled out cease-fire talks
with the Gaza Strip's Islamic Hamas rulers, vowing to press ahead with a
"true war" against Palestinian militants who attack southern Israeli
communities with rocket and mortar fire.
Israel has been waging its military campaign against Gaza rocket squads
while pursuing peacemaking with the moderate government of Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. On Sunday, a Cabinet minister
confirmed that Israel has yet another plan to build hundreds of apartments
in disputed east Jerusalem and the West Bank - touching off a new crisis in
fledgling peace talks.
The Israeli military has struck back hard in recent weeks against Hamas and
other armed groups in Gaza, killing a top militant commander and master
rocket-maker last week. With troops appearing to make substantial gains,
Olmert told his Cabinet there were no plans to slow down.
"Operations against terrorists will continue as they have been conducted for
many months," Olmert said. "There is no other way to describe what is
happening in the Gaza Strip except as a true war between the Israeli army
and terror groups."
He said Israel would continue to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza to protect
the area's civilians.
Israel sealed its borders with Gaza immediately after Hamas violently
wrested control of the territory in June, cutting off most trade and
reducing fuel shipments to the area. Israel considers Hamas, which is
committed to Israel's destruction, to be a terrorist group.
Under heavy pressure from Israel's military gains and the economic embargo,
Gaza's Hamas rulers have signaled readiness in recent days for a cease-fire.
Several Israeli Cabinet ministers have said the government should consider
the offer.
Olmert said there would be no cease-fire until Hamas renounced violence and
recognized Israel's right to exist - conditions set by the "Quartet" of
international peace makers.
"Whoever accepts the Quartet principles will, in principle, be a partner for
negotiations," Olmert said. "Whoever isn't willing to do so, to our regret,
cannot be a partner for dialogue with us. This policy will not change."
Amid the backdrop of Hamas truce overtures, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud
Barak will travel to Egypt on Wednesday to meet with Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak, Israeli security officials said.
Egypt frequently acts as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. The officials
said Israel will restate its demand that the Egyptians do more to stop
Palestinian militants from smuggling weapons from Egypt into Gaza. No
further details on the agenda were available.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to reach a peace deal with Abbas were hurt
Sunday with the disclosure that Israel plans to build an additional 740
apartments in disputed east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 2008.
Palestinians claim east Jerusalem and the West Bank, areas captured by
Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of their future state.
Although 450,000 Israelis live in these areas, the timing of Sunday's
announcement was sensitive. The two sides formally renewed peace talks after
a seven-year break less than one month ago, and U.S. President George W.
Bush is expected to visit the region early next month.
Rafi Eitan, Israel's minister for Jerusalem Affairs, confirmed the
Construction Ministry's proposed budget for 2008 includes 500 new apartments
for the Har Homa neighborhood in east Jerusalem, and 240 new apartments in
Maaleh Adumim just outside Jerusalem, one of Israel's biggest West Bank
settlements.
Eitan told Army Radio that Israel never promised to halt construction within
the municipal borders of Jerusalem, whose eastern sector Israel annexed
immediately after capturing it in the 1967 Mideast war.
"Har Homa is an integral, organic part of Jerusalem," Eitan said.
Maaleh Adumim, Eitan added, "is an integral part of Jerusalem in any peace
accord."
Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said he was "not aware" of the plan to further
expand the Har Homa neighborhood in east Jerusalem, and said there was "no
new decision" for additional construction in Maaleh Adumim.
The international community never recognized Israeli sovereignty over east
Jerusalem. But the area, along with major West Bank settlement blocs,
including Maaleh Adumim, are expected to remain in Israeli hands under a
final peace settlement.
Under the recently revived "road map" peace plan, Israel committed to freeze
all settlement construction. But it insists that construction in east
Jerusalem and existing settlements is not covered by the peace plan.
Lead Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said negotiations with Israel would
continue despite the construction plans, but "the only issue on the agenda
will be settlement expansion."
"Israel surprises us every day with a new settlement project," Qureia said.
"This must be ended if Israel wants this peace process to succeed."
Separate plans to build 307 other apartments in Har Homa upset the first
round of negotiations on Dec. 12. Last week, Housing Minister Zeev Boim said
he was looking into building 10,000 apartments in another east Jerusalem
neighborhood, but backtracked after Olmert distanced himself from the plan.
Olmert Calls Gaza Campaign 'True War'
Sunday, December 23, 2007
JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday ruled out cease-fire talks
with the Gaza Strip's Islamic Hamas rulers, vowing to press ahead with a
"true war" against Palestinian militants who attack southern Israeli
communities with rocket and mortar fire.
Israel has been waging its military campaign against Gaza rocket squads
while pursuing peacemaking with the moderate government of Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. On Sunday, a Cabinet minister
confirmed that Israel has yet another plan to build hundreds of apartments
in disputed east Jerusalem and the West Bank - touching off a new crisis in
fledgling peace talks.
The Israeli military has struck back hard in recent weeks against Hamas and
other armed groups in Gaza, killing a top militant commander and master
rocket-maker last week. With troops appearing to make substantial gains,
Olmert told his Cabinet there were no plans to slow down.
"Operations against terrorists will continue as they have been conducted for
many months," Olmert said. "There is no other way to describe what is
happening in the Gaza Strip except as a true war between the Israeli army
and terror groups."
He said Israel would continue to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza to protect
the area's civilians.
Israel sealed its borders with Gaza immediately after Hamas violently
wrested control of the territory in June, cutting off most trade and
reducing fuel shipments to the area. Israel considers Hamas, which is
committed to Israel's destruction, to be a terrorist group.
Under heavy pressure from Israel's military gains and the economic embargo,
Gaza's Hamas rulers have signaled readiness in recent days for a cease-fire.
Several Israeli Cabinet ministers have said the government should consider
the offer.
Olmert said there would be no cease-fire until Hamas renounced violence and
recognized Israel's right to exist - conditions set by the "Quartet" of
international peace makers.
"Whoever accepts the Quartet principles will, in principle, be a partner for
negotiations," Olmert said. "Whoever isn't willing to do so, to our regret,
cannot be a partner for dialogue with us. This policy will not change."
Amid the backdrop of Hamas truce overtures, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud
Barak will travel to Egypt on Wednesday to meet with Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak, Israeli security officials said.
Egypt frequently acts as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. The officials
said Israel will restate its demand that the Egyptians do more to stop
Palestinian militants from smuggling weapons from Egypt into Gaza. No
further details on the agenda were available.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to reach a peace deal with Abbas were hurt
Sunday with the disclosure that Israel plans to build an additional 740
apartments in disputed east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 2008.
Palestinians claim east Jerusalem and the West Bank, areas captured by
Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of their future state.
Although 450,000 Israelis live in these areas, the timing of Sunday's
announcement was sensitive. The two sides formally renewed peace talks after
a seven-year break less than one month ago, and U.S. President George W.
Bush is expected to visit the region early next month.
Rafi Eitan, Israel's minister for Jerusalem Affairs, confirmed the
Construction Ministry's proposed budget for 2008 includes 500 new apartments
for the Har Homa neighborhood in east Jerusalem, and 240 new apartments in
Maaleh Adumim just outside Jerusalem, one of Israel's biggest West Bank
settlements.
Eitan told Army Radio that Israel never promised to halt construction within
the municipal borders of Jerusalem, whose eastern sector Israel annexed
immediately after capturing it in the 1967 Mideast war.
"Har Homa is an integral, organic part of Jerusalem," Eitan said.
Maaleh Adumim, Eitan added, "is an integral part of Jerusalem in any peace
accord."
Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said he was "not aware" of the plan to further
expand the Har Homa neighborhood in east Jerusalem, and said there was "no
new decision" for additional construction in Maaleh Adumim.
The international community never recognized Israeli sovereignty over east
Jerusalem. But the area, along with major West Bank settlement blocs,
including Maaleh Adumim, are expected to remain in Israeli hands under a
final peace settlement.
Under the recently revived "road map" peace plan, Israel committed to freeze
all settlement construction. But it insists that construction in east
Jerusalem and existing settlements is not covered by the peace plan.
Lead Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said negotiations with Israel would
continue despite the construction plans, but "the only issue on the agenda
will be settlement expansion."
"Israel surprises us every day with a new settlement project," Qureia said.
"This must be ended if Israel wants this peace process to succeed."
Separate plans to build 307 other apartments in Har Homa upset the first
round of negotiations on Dec. 12. Last week, Housing Minister Zeev Boim said
he was looking into building 10,000 apartments in another east Jerusalem
neighborhood, but backtracked after Olmert distanced himself from the plan.
