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

“Last week, US Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA.), Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, passed away.  Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni made a special trip to represent the State and Government of Israel at the US Capitol ceremony for him.  Tom Lantos was a Jew, a Holocaust survivor from Hungary, who moved to the US after World War II, lived on the US west coast and served his California district in the House of Representatives from 1980 until his passing.  Throughout his career, he worked out of an abiding faith that US strategic interests were connected to the strength, security and prosperity of the State of Israel.  He gave daring, assertive and pointed expression to this throughout his Congressional career, in which he assisted the State of Israel.  Shortly before his death, so his wife told me, he summoned his family members around him and knowing he would never rise, with his last strength, told them never to forget the State of Israel.  He then closed his eyes.  As an expression of the State of Israel’s deep friendship and appreciation for Tom Lantos, I had intended to propose that the Government express to him its special and exceptional appreciation, and I even managed to tell him this before he passed away, a few days ahead of his eightieth birthday, which he was due to celebrate now.  He knew of the State of Israel’s intention to honor him; he did not receive the formal expression of this because he died last week.  I thank Foreign Minister Livni for representing the State and Government of Israel and on behalf of the Government, I send condolences to his family and the US Congress.

After today’s Cabinet meeting, there will be a ministerial consultation on the issue of structural reinforcement in Sderot and other communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip.  The Government has several tracks for dealing with this issue.  First of all, there is the operational activity of the IDF and the security establishment.  I have already said that there is an almost daily war in the south and terrorist leaders are certainly a target and we will not slacken on this issue and we will continue to struggle in order to reduce to nil the threat that is upsetting the quality of life of residents of the south.  Of course, there are also other measures that we are using, including sanctions and striking at the supply of materials that could serve the terrorist organizations, including energy, and this is being carried out according to the decision of the Cabinet, in coordination with the considerations of the security establishment at the behest of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, with my assent.  I think that this is being done correctly, prudently and responsibly.  This may not always be loved but it is an important part of counter-terrorist activity.  On the reinforcement issue, we have been active and have invested hundreds of millions of shekels in public and educational institutions.  We are building 13 new schools, which will be completely reinforced.  Today, we will also discuss the issue of home reinforcement.  The Prime Minister’s Office and the Defense Ministry have been dealing with this for a long time.  You will recall that NIS 50 million was transferred in early January as per the commitment that was given in the Knesset to advance this issue.  Today, proposals will be formulated, which will be submitted for Cabinet approval next week, and which are designed to complete home reinforcement.  As was mentioned, this activity is being carried out by the Defense Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office.”