Following are excerpts from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting today :

“Sderot and the communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip were attacked over the weekend, but especially yesterday, with dozens of missiles and rockets.  This assault came in response to very aggressive, vigorous and comprehensive action by the IDF and the security forces, which killed and wounded many Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorists.  In recent months, approximately 200 terrorists have been killed in the Gaza Strip, and hundreds of others have been wounded, as a result of initiated, aggressive, planned and comprehensive activity by the IDF and the ISA.  Naturally, we cannot be oblivious to the sense of distress in Sderot and the communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the severe wounding of the Twito brothers [see first link above].  We send them our wishes for a quick recovery and embrace the members of their family.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi visited Sderot this morning in order to closely observe events in the city following this assault.  There is no doubt that the pain is felt by all; the outrage is natural.  But it must be clear that outrage is not a plan for action.  We must act in a systematic and orderly fashion over time.  This is what we are doing.  This is what we will continue to do.  We will continue to reach all the responsible terrorists including those who dispatch and operate them.  We will not give anyone special consideration.  We will do this in order to make sure that it is possible to reduce the danger and alleviate the pressure and distress that is hitting the residents of Sderot and the communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip so severely.  This morning, Defense Minister Barak and I consulted with security and IDF elements about relevant issues vis-à-vis the measures we need to take regarding both assistance to the population and structural reinforcement and assigning responsibility to those who deal in terrorism.  The latter is in order to reach those who must be reached and act against those who must acted against.  This is what we will continue to do.

The Cabinet will also discuss the Winograd Committee’s final report.  I have asked National Security Council Deputy Chairman Danny Arditi to brief us on what has already been done on issues related to implementing its lessons.  This is a serious report that deals with fundamental issues in those areas in which the Government needs to act.  We will relate to its recommendations with all due and necessary seriousness and responsibility in order to present a complete picture of activities, lessons, conclusions, studying and correcting as we have promised, as we have already decided to do in recent months and as we are continuing and will continue to do.  I again take the opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to the members of the Committee for their important and serious work.”

Prime Minister Olmert also noted that the Cabinet would discuss a five-year plan to improve the absorption and integration of members of the Ethiopian community.