Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he would not be attending the Monday morning special Knesset session addressing Operation Cast Lead, explaining “this is not the time for talk,” angered the session was being held as the operation is just getting off the ground.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik and opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu all addressed the plenum, while Arab MKs interrupted and shouted their disapproval, some ordered out of the session by Speaker Itzik.

The remarks were more or less the same, reaffirming Israel’s determination to end rocket attacks, to bring Gilad Shalit home, demanding loyalty from all citizens, including Arabs. They also stressed the war is not with Gaza or PA (Palestinian Authority) residents, but with terrorists. Netanyahu also hinted that in the coming years, the policies of good-will concessions and giving into terror will vanish.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)