With Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to one side and Prime Minister Ehud Barak seated on the other, a calm yet firm Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed the nation, some 8.5 hours after the launching of Operation Lead Cast. Following is a loose translation of Mr. Olmert’s words, carried live on Israel Television.

For seven years, hundreds of thousands of southern Israeli resident have been enduring rocket attacks. The life for people in these areas has reached an intolerable state. Israel did everything possible to adhere to the ceasefire to return life to normal in the area. The quiet was met with noise, attacks and indiscriminate attacks.

No nation can permit this to continue – the lives of southern residents are not valueless. Hamas has decided to embark on a campaign of indiscriminate attacks. We are not looking for a battle, but we are ready and will wage one if that is what is called for.

I met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) Director Yuval Diskin, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi and other senior security, defense and intelligence officials, deciding to move ahead towards improving the situation for southern residents. It may take time and each and every one of us must have patience and endurance to permit the IDF to complete the operation. We wish to return quiet and tranquility to southern Israel to permit residents to return to a normal life as every nation does

In the short term, the number of rockets may increase and hit areas that to date, have not been in the rocket-fire area. Today, a citizen was killed, Beber Vaknin HY”D. I expend my condolences.

I ask everyone to please adhere to the warnings systems and all of the instructions of the IDF’s Homefront Command, life-saving instructions.

We did whatever we could to avoid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and we are not working against the residents of Gaza. Our accurate intelligence information permits striking Hamas targets with minimal collateral damage. We are not at war with the Palestinian people, but with the terrorists. Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza are the enemies of two nations.

I hope others in the region will not thing they can use the situation in Gaza to launch an attack on another front, a move that would be met with a very harsh response. We realized the current situation could not be permitted to continue, and we will do that which is required to restore peace and tranquility to southern Israel.

My heart is with the Shalits, Aviva, Noam, and grandfather Tzvi, who are undoubtedly troubled and increasingly concerned with the launch of today’s operation. I call on the entire nation to stand behind the IDF, to stand behind the government for such an operation demands national unity. This was the case with opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu, as well as Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, Meretz leader Chaim Oron, and others. I would like to thank Barak, Livni, the IDF and GSS commanders, as well as all cabinet ministers.

Now, we must permit the IDF the time required to complete the information and achieve its objective.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)