Photo by GPO

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this morning, visited the Osem plant in Sderot and attended a conference in support of Sderot that was organized by the Bureau of Economic Organizations.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by Finance minister Ronnie Bar-On, Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai, Manufacturers Association President Shraga Brosh and Histadrut Chairman Ofer Eini.
 
Prime Minister Olmert said: "Even as we speak here, IDF soldiers are continuing to fight there.  You suffered from rockets here for seven years, during which their range increased.  We very much did not want to reach a situation in which we would have to order IDF soldiers to go into Gaza.  We hoped that we would succeed in preventing this but from the moment we decided to do this, we said that we would do so with determination and without hesitation.  We are dealing with brutal terrorist organizations devoid of the compassion and tolerance which characterize us.  The blow that we have inflicted on them is unprecedented in its strength. 
 
We have also suffered losses since the start of Operation Cast Lead but we were not disillusioned that there could be fighting without casualties.  We have no interest in endlessly continuing the campaign.  It will stop when the conditions that are essential for Israel's security are met.  First and foremost, all terrorist operations against us must stop.  The strengthening of the terrorist organizations via the smuggling of war materiel from Egypt into Gaza must also stop.  In the last two years, I have dedicated great and almost unprecedented efforts in order to reach peace with the Palestinians and the Syrians because I am not a man of war and I do not want to fight.  But on security I do not compromise.  We hope that nobody will test either or determination or our resiliency on any other front."
 
From Sderot, Prime Minister Olmert visited the city of Netivot's command and control center, where he was briefed by Mayor Yehiel Zohar on the alert and preparedness of both the municipality and the residents.  The Prime Minister said: "There is no alternative to municipal leadership.  This is the best infrastructure for providing services to residents.  In all the preparations for emergencies that have been held over the past two years, mayors were an important component and we see today that the local authorities are functioning well."
 

Photo by GPO

From Netivot, Prime Minister Olmert went to Soroka University Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, where he visited IDF soldiers who have been wounded during the operation.  Senior hospital officials briefed the Prime Minister on the hospital's preparations and noted that the preliminary treatment that the wounded soldiers received in the field by IDF Medical Corps personnel has saved many lives.  The Prime Minister said: "The Soroka University Medical Center is also among the first caregivers for both IDF and civilian wounded.  I regret that this is not yet over and we can certainly expect difficult times ahead.  Soroka has special qualities and a great staff that proves itself anew every day." 

Prime Minister Olmert spoke with several wounded Golani Brigade soldiers, who told him about the fighting and the circumstances in which they were wounded.  He told them the operations were testing the courage of the IDF's fighters from Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi down to every soldier in the field and added that the IDF has proven its strength and determination again and again.