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Last update - 23:43 30/12/2008
Olmert: Gaza offensive to go on until Israel's aims achieved
By Amos Harel and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Hamas, Israel 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that Israel's military offensive on the Gaza Strip would continue for as long as necessary to achieve the goals of the defense establishment against the ruling Hamas regime.

"The Gaza offensive has begun and will not end.... until our goals our reached, we are continuing according to the plan," Olmert said.


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The prime minister's statement came in response to reports that defense officials intended to recommend a 48-hour truce to abate the war against Hamas and embark on a temporary truce before it became necessary to begin a significant ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Shin Bet and Israel Defense Forces officials on Tuesday denied reports that the defense establishment planned to recommend a temporary truce based on an initiative originally proposed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

The goal of the temporary calm would have been to see if Hamas can abide by the truce and cease firing rockets at Israel.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Kouchner plan to visit Israel next Monday, to discuss the situation in Gaza. It is likely that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will make her own visit to France prior to the French officials' Monday visit.

Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer decried the announcement of a 48-hour truce proposal as soon as it was released, saying such a compromise would buy Hamas time to reorganize.

"Hamas has not suffered enough damage in the recent strikes," he said.

The government said on Tuesday it was prepared to work with France and other governments on increasing aid flows into the Gaza Strip

"We want to see convoy after convoy of humanitarian support and we are willing to work closely with all relevant international parties to facilitate that goal," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said when asked about the French proposal for a 48-hour humanitarian truce.

"At the same time, it is important to keep the pressure up on Hamas, not give them a respite, time to regroup and reorganize," Regev added.

Earlier, Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said: "We are not begging for calm and there is no room to talk about calm amid the continued aggression and siege." Hamas has said a cease-fire must be accompanied by a lifting of Israel's Gaza blockade.

Meanwhile, the Military Intelligence assessed Tuesday that the air offensive has destroyed one-third of the Hamas rocket arsenal, Channel 10 television reported.

Peres: Gaza operation is like no other Israeli war

President Shimon Peres said earlier Tuesday that as a man who had lived through all of Israel's war, he could confirm that the Israel Defense Force's current operation in the Gaza Strip was like no other.

Speaking to reporters along side IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Peres said that the goal of the current operation was not just to stop the continuing rocket fire from Gaza, but to put a halt to terror worldwide.

"Terror is a worldwide problem, and it is ours as well," Peres said.

Both Peres and Ashkenazi said then that it was too early to tell when the operation would come to an end. Ashkenazi said he was "very satisfied" with the success of the operation so far.

Both the president and the IDF Chief thanked residents of the south for the strength and courage they have exhibited throughout the operation.

Peres also warned residents of the south to follow the IDF's security instructions, saying: "We have had our casualties, but they could have been prevented had they followed the IDF's instructions.

Olmert and Peres held a meeting earlier Tuesday morning at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. The premier updated Peres on the latest developments as the Israel Defense Forces offensive in Gaza enters its fourth day.

Olmert told the president that the military operation is still in its initial stages, and that the security cabinet is granting the IDF as much wiggle room as it needs in order to reach the goals of the operation as declared by the government.

"Israel is not fighting the Palestinian population but a terrorist organization whose raison d'etre is continued violence and destabilizing the region," said Peres, who also remarked that Hamas bears responsibility for the situation unfolding in Gaza.

"Nobody in this world understands what are Hamas' goals and why it continues to fire missiles," the president said. "This shooting has no point, no logic, and no chance."

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      1.   Its a revolution 11:55  |  observer 30/12/08
      2.   Shimon Peres`s Logic 12:03  |  Clickfool 30/12/08
      3.   Peres has got it right ! 12:10  |  Tal 30/12/08
      4.   Pres. Peres at the hight of his current abilities 12:17  |  17 30/12/08
      5.   I believe that I understand Hamas ploy .. 12:34  |  redbourn 30/12/08
      6.   He just doesn`t get it 12:47  |  Ofer 30/12/08
      7.   Peres 12:58  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/12/08
      8.   BULL 12:59  |  Hassan 30/12/08
      9.   To Clickfool (#2) 13:00  |  Morris Valentine 30/12/08
      10.   Hamas actions useless, self-debilitating... 13:00  |  Esther 30/12/08
      11.   plain to see why the rockets 13:01  |  peter 30/12/08
      12.   Of course they have a point - TO KILL ISRAELIS 13:20  |  Kobi 30/12/08
      13.   thanks for yr rockets that have points and logic 13:20  |  Dr. Raed 30/12/08
      14.   Peres, Livni, Olmert have no moral message 13:25  |  shlomo 30/12/08
      15.   Shimon, they call it Jihad 13:27  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 30/12/08
      16.   response to #4 13:34  |  Tal 30/12/08
      17.   Why Hamas are escalating 13:40  |  Peter Williams 30/12/08
      18.   Peres statement. 13:43  |  Orao Stranka. 30/12/08
      19.   Makes no sense 14:14  |  Chris 30/12/08
      20.   Clickfool`s logic 14:17  |  Israeli citizen 30/12/08
      21.   10,000 rockets and the gazans accepted this 14:27  |  real vision 30/12/08
      22.   If they do this then the gov`t should resign en masse 17:39  |  david cohen 30/12/08
      23.   #13 17:47  |  Jane 30/12/08
      24.   A 48 hour Truce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 17:48  |  Yoel 30/12/08
      25.   48 Hour Truce With Hamas? 17:55  |  Douglas Fireman 30/12/08
      26.   It appears that the Israeli government as well as the IDF took 17:56  |  Jacob Blues 30/12/08
      27.   To Hassan 18:11  |  Douglas Fireman 30/12/08
      28.   Severe costs 18:44  |  Bertil 30/12/08
      29.   Confusion over IDF Command and Control? 18:45  |  neil robertson 30/12/08
      30.   #22 18:50  |  Elianah 30/12/08
      31.   Hamas will win. BTW It`s not a terrorist organization 18:57  |  Lou Medel 30/12/08
      32.   #2 Clickfool - Peres is speaking from EXPERIENCE 18:58  |  *BEN JABO 30/12/08
      33.   #7 Linthwaite 19:00  |  *BEN JABO 30/12/08
      34.   A way out of the present conflict: 19:00  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 30/12/08
      35.   #8 HASSAN - GREAT CAPTION 19:04  |  *BEN JABO 30/12/08
      36.   400 Palestinians dead=24000 Americans 19:04  |  Palestinian 30/12/08
      37.   At This Point... 19:05  |  Yosemite 30/12/08
      38.   real vision #21 19:05  |  Gee 30/12/08
      39.   There is something to be learned from Medicine 19:22  |  A Doctor 30/12/08
      40.   How? 19:23  |  Hirz 30/12/08
      41.   and Douglas (27) everybody in Europe is on to Hamas 19:28  |  Jew- and Bookburner 30/12/08
      42.   "terror is a worldwide problem"... 19:44  |  BBSNews 30/12/08
      43.   strange thing 19:49  |  ihsan ismail 30/12/08
      44.   Enough is enough 19:57  |  Ofer 30/12/08
      45.   IF 19:57  |  Lior 30/12/08
      46.   What`s wrong with you people 20:08  |  Fred Basket 30/12/08
      47.   Peres, the dishonest 20:10  |  Ben Alofs 30/12/08
      48.   I`m no fan of Olmert and Barak, but G-d Bless Them! 20:12  |  David 30/12/08
      49.   Switching Sides 20:14  |  John 30/12/08
      50.   Mohammed bin Rashid orders cancellation of New Year`s celebration 20:17  |  Observer 30/12/08
      51.   Fred Basket 20:54  |  lady from USA 30/12/08
      52.   A cooridor can be established for relief supplies without 20:55  |  r 30/12/08
      53.   to #31 20:59  |  Maurice 30/12/08
      54.   Observer 21:02  |  lady from USA 30/12/08
      55.   Rumor was started by those pushing the Kouchner/Grossman plan 21:03  |  Raymond in DC 30/12/08
      56.   BSnews - Your hot air is also a problem 21:03  |  *BEN JABO 30/12/08
      57.   May the Lord protect and preserve the Israeli people 21:09  |  Gina 30/12/08
      58.   "Israel`s various illegal occupations are the major source..." 21:10  |  Israeli citizen 30/12/08
      59.   Gilad Shalit 21:12  |  sharon 30/12/08
      60.   Proportional Response (46) 21:21  |  Guy 30/12/08
      61.   War crimes 21:22  |  Judy 30/12/08
      62.   Hi BBS News note the plethera of Israeli spin doctors 21:27  |  Labhjras 30/12/08
      63.   Long Live Operation Cast Lead! 21:33  |  Jeff Northridge 30/12/08
      64.   offensive in Gaza 21:36  |  hoekstra 30/12/08
      65.   TO israeli citizen 21:41  |  Mike 30/12/08
      66.   You make enemies faster than you can kill them. 21:43  |  Samuel L Kent 30/12/08
      67.   French Tradition 21:46  |  claude 30/12/08
      68.   To lady from USA 21:46  |  Mike 30/12/08
      69.   proportional response 21:48  |  luke 30/12/08
      70.   57 Guy, is so good that you ask... 21:48  |  sharon 30/12/08
      71.   NEVER NEVER NEVER 21:50  |  Mike 30/12/08
      72.   Heartbeaking animosity 21:50  |  ky 30/12/08
      73.   President Peres 21:51  |  ross 30/12/08
      74.   BSNews 42 21:53  |  ChanahS 30/12/08
      75.   Hiding among civilians is the actual war crime 21:56  |  Gina 30/12/08
      76.   Judy dear 58 21:57  |  ChanahS 30/12/08
      77.   Israel Should Split Gaza in Two 22:03  |  Terry 30/12/08
      78.   Taleban State 22:12  |  Mike 30/12/08
      79.   Truth ain`t racism Israeli citizen... 22:15  |  BBSNews 30/12/08
      80.   ihsan ismail - You mean LIES... 22:18  |  Ben 30/12/08
      81.   Judy - By your comments, the war on terror against terrorists 22:21  |  B 30/12/08
      82.   Why was nothing done for 2 years? 22:22  |  Motke 30/12/08
      83.   war crimes? 22:23  |  MoonDingo 30/12/08
      84.   "switching sides"... 22:35  |  BBSNews 30/12/08
      85.   Peres - Response 22:47  |  Aryeah245 30/12/08
      86.   Perez:Nobody knows why hamas is bombing Israel 22:59  |  Galvin Templar 30/12/08
      87.   Keep it up 23:00  |  No truce 30/12/08
      88.   BBSnews - It is painfullty obvious that our antisemitic pro 23:13  |  17 30/12/08
      89.   Lou Medel of AZ - response 23:15  |  Aryeah245 30/12/08
      90.   we are going to stop the operation as if nothiing happened 23:16  |  dovdevan 30/12/08
      91.   # 8 , bull 23:16  |  eapen 30/12/08
      92.   Judy # 58 23:17  |  EZ 30/12/08
      93.   Olmert, Israel will be stateless by then... 23:18  |  Dutch 30/12/08
      94.   A way out of the present conflict: - Response -NONSENSE 23:22  |  Aryeah245 30/12/08
      95.   Re: War crimes to Judy 23:23  |  LP 30/12/08
      96.   What`s wrong with you people - Response 23:35  |  Aryeah245 30/12/08
      97.   stop hamas 23:45  |  Jeff 30/12/08
      98.   48-Hours - Enough Time for Europe and UN to Jump In 00:02  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 31/12/08
      99.   `No one in the world understands why hamas continues to fire rock 00:08  |  Lasse 31/12/08
      100.   Proportional Response?? Lou? 00:18  |  Common Sense 31/12/08
      101.   77 LP 00:21  |  Jose Marcio 31/12/08
      102.   # 46 Fred Basket - You hate me for the wrong reason - the Gaza 01:04  |  17 31/12/08
      103.   Hamas using residential neighborhoods for terrorist purposes 01:28  |  Little Green Footbal 31/12/08
      104.   #46-Fred Basket Case... 01:30  |  Froike 31/12/08
      105.   Keep going forward Israel! 02:03  |  Nechama 31/12/08
      106.   Dutch # 75 Statehood Cannot Be Rescinded 03:17  |  Jeff Northridge 31/12/08
      107.   Fred Basket Case 04:41  |  Jasper 31/12/08
      108.   Stop terror world wide? Peres, stop terror against Israel 06:28  |  Terry 31/12/08
      109.   To #59, Terry, if you know that, why doesn`t Barak? 06:39  |  Terry 1 31/12/08
      110.   Peace thru War 06:39  |  Spencer 31/12/08
      111.   gaza, better late than never 06:46  |  rmallin 31/12/08
      112.   Aryeah245, Hamas must be destroyed but... 06:50  |  terry 31/12/08
      113.   Truce 12:57  |  fritz 31/12/08
      114.   Gilad Shalit is with family, as always ! 08:48  |  michael mazur 22/01/09
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