Olmert to Abu Mazen: Israel will not restrain itself forever

Aides of Prime Minister Olmert informed aides of Abu Mazen that Israel will not restrain itself indefinitely when faced with rocket launches out of Gaza. This after yesterday in which 10 Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip in violation of the ceasefire which was declared between Israel and the Palestinians a month ago.

An aide of Olmert stated that Israel does not wish to respond and is aware that such a response may serve as a boost for Hamas and Islamic Jihad and may even unify Fatah and Hamas against Israel, yet these repeated rocket launches must be put to an end.

Amir Peretz convened the high staff of the Security Ministry and the IDF to discuss new ways to stop the rocket launches. The army is expected to recommend an end to the restraint policy.

Olmert denies having met with Sinora

Prime Minister Olmert's staff denied today that he met with his Lebanese counterpart, Fouad Siniora.
The so-called meeting was reported by the Maan Palesitinian news agenct which claimed that the two met in the Siani following Israel's war with Hezbollah and discussed, among other issues, the disarmament of the latter.
The meeting lasted about five hours and was chaperoned by Egypt's President, Mubarrak.
Siniora is in the midst of an inner-Lebanese struggle with Hezbollah who threaten to topple his government and is under constant threats for his life.

Peretz to Olmert: Should stop restraint policy

After 10 Qassam rockets yesterday, Security Minister, Amir Peretz, counselled PM, Ehud Olmert, to stop Israel's restraint policy.

The Qassam launches are a direct breach of the ceasefire which was proclaimed between Israel and the Palestinians a month ago. Yesterday was not the first breach by the Palestinians, but it was the worst.

Several government ministers share Peretz's view: Fouad Ben-Eliezer, a former security minister, said that Israel cannot stand idly by while rockets are being launched on its population centers on a daily basis. Minister of Industry, Eli Yishay, said that Israel should rethink the restraint policy.

Yesterday, in a joint press conference with his Norwegian counterpart, Olmert stated that Israel will not be able to restrain itself for much longer.

Israel has not responded to breaches of the ceasefire in an attempt to allow the moderate Palestinians a chance to enforce the ceasefire, but to little avail, so far.

Shimon Peres thinks that Assad is bluffing

Former Israeli PM architect of the Oslo accords, Shimon Peres, believes that Assad is bluffing. In an interview today, Peres stated that Israel offered 4 times to go to peace talks with Syria and was willing to return the Golan Heights to Syria, but has been denied on all occasions. Peres says that Assad wishes to use Israel as a go between with the Americans and does not exhibit any tangible sign of desiring a true peace.

Peres does hold the view that Israel should concentrate on the Palestinians and negotiate with moderate forces there such as Abu Mazen. Peres believes that by economic cooperation and financial growth, a lasting peace can be established with the Palestinians. He further believes that Israel should make peace with one Arab country at a time for fear of failing on all joint peace efforts.

USA supports anti Assad groups in Syria

The US State Department ackowledged the fact that it is supporting various anti-Assad Syrian groups in an attempt to facilitate a regime change in Syria.
Assad has been on the "wanted list" of president Bush for a long time for his regime's violent involvement in Lebanese politics and its support of terrorism.
America financially supports several opposition groups and asists in coordination between them.
Syria has made several peace overtures towards Israel in the past two weeks. Bush holds the view that Assad, the Syrian President, should not be negotiated with.