Ynet’s got excerpts.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed the Knesset plenum Monday regarding the fighting in the north: “Israel did not ask for these confrontations, but there were those who interpreted our will for peace as a sign of weakness. Our enemies were wrong to think our restraint was a sign of weakness.”
“Israel has no territorial argument, neither on the southern or northern border,†Olmert added.
[…] “The current fight is against terror organizations in Lebanon and Gaza. These organizations are subcontractors, acting under the authorization, encouragement and funding of terror supporting organizations and opponents of peace – the axis of evil that runs from Tehran to Damascus,†Olmert said.
The prime minister continued: “Israel will not be a hostage – not of terror organizations and not of sovereign states.â€
“We are standing at a moment of national truth. Will we agree to live under the threat of the axis of evil, or will we hew our internal strength and show determination and level-headedness? Our answer is known to each and every Israel, and today it echoes in the entire region. We are not seeking war and confrontation, but when they are necessary we will not avoid them. We have the right to our freedom, and when we have to, we know how to fight for and defend that freedom,†Olmert said.
That’s all very good. Does he have a plan?
The whole speech is at Seraphic Press: http://www.seraphicpress.com This is already not the last post.
Problems with Olmert’s speech: He says Lebanon is responsible. While maybe legally correct, this is not reality. A war in Labanon…there may be some reasons for attacking only in Lebanon and leaving Syria alone but he didn’t give them. I am not sure if Israel is being bound by legalities or by practicalities (a desire to limit the scale of the war)
The war might be over sooner with fewer innocents killed if Damascus airport was shut down. If on the other hand, Syria is prepared for a bigger war, then Syria can intervene anyway later. And the whole thing might be part of a plan for gradual escalation. But Olmert said nothing about this one way or the other.
2) He said: We have no intention of interfering in their internal
affairs.
This is a mistake. It is not that it has to be overdone, but without that how can Israel hope for anything? They won’t help people who want to end the attacks?
Ehud Olmert’s speech was fair and definite. Please G-D he should keep to his words. Please G-D the IDF should be quick and decisive with minimum loss of life on both sides of innocent people – and I stress innocent people. This can only be achieved by eradicating forces of evil – terrorism. Please G-D the kidnapped soldiers will be released in a positive manner which will be conducive to a lasting peace.