Replies

Olmert: Israel with not agree to live in the shadow of the threat of the rockets/missiles directed at it's citizens. There are moments in a life of a people when it has to look at reality and say, this far...no further.

The Knesset has put aside it's differences to stand as one people against this hatred. When missiles rain down on our cities our mission is to wag war. We wish for peace, we aspire to peace, we dream of peace but we reject the effort to disrupt our right to live in peace.

On behalf of the people of Israel I have come hear today to announce to the people and the world, we do not seek war but if necessary will not flinch from it. We deserve our freedom and when it is necessary we know how to fight for it and defend it. The strenght of the state of Israel is based on the IDF, this is our guarantor for living in this country and our best human and financial resources are vested in the IDF and my heartfelt thanks to the IDF, to it's men, to its commanders, to the police forces, to the fire brigades and the other security forces.

Olmert: The strenght of a people is not measure only by it's military power but by the strenght of it's economy and business and its products...pioneering and academic world. For all of these reasons we have reason to be proud.

I have been witness to what Israeli's could do. The patience and ability to grit their teeth.

(Missed what he said right before this) If New yorkers can stand up to this the way Jerusalems do, then we will beat terrorism.

In every single fashion and in every single instance the govt. will provide assistance. I am proud, perhaps more proud than ever before in my life, to be an Israeli citizen. The enemy is encountering a people that is standing shoulder to shoulder. We are fighting for a right to a normal life like any people. We are fighting for our children.

The Jewish ideal is one of a world at peace - peace between people and God, between people and nature, between nations and between people. The idea is of a removal of evil from this world and the response of man to live under the sovereignty of God, His Creator: for the fullness of the Dominion of the Earth shall be the Lord's. That is the Jewish idea of peace and is not merely the mere absence of conflict. The former idea of peace exists in every Jewish heart and soul. Its about a transformation of the earth so it comes to be under the kingdom of God. May we all merit to live in it and may the dead be resurrected soon and may the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our lifetime and may God make peace in his high heavens as well peace for us and for all Israel. Amen.

(Go Israel Go! Slap 'em down Hezbullies.)