WRAP Israeli cabinet, Olmert comments plus Peretz with Solana
(13 Aug 2006) 1. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrives for meeting 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Isaac Herzog, Israeli Trade Minister: "We view the Security Council resolution favourably. We will analyze it in the meeting today. We plan to approve the resolution and of course enter into a ceasefire by tomorrow (Monday) morning." 3. Various of cabinet in session 4. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister: "I would first of all like to express my sincere condolences to the families of the fallen, and we wish a speedy recovery for the wounded. Our hearts are with the soldiers of the IDF, no matter where they are. Within the past hour I have met with the Regev and Goldwasser families whose sons are kidnapped and held by Hezbollah in Lebanon. I brought them up to date on the decision of the Security Council and reaffirmed that our government will do everything within its power to bring about not only their release, but also that of Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped by Hamas." 5. Various of cabinet ministers around table 6. Mid shot of Vice Premier Shimon Peres 7. Javier Solana and Amir Peretz arrive in room, shake hands 8. Cutaway, EU and Israeli flags on table 9. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Amir Peretz, Israeli Defence Minister: "We are still fighting in order to reach positions which will guarantee protection for our forces and also promise the implementation of the agreement. I am meeting this morning with Javier Solana and I intend to ask, or demand that the procedure of implementing the cease fire agreement will be carried out - the central points such as the demilitarisation of the area, the dismantling of Hezbollah, but I also intend to turn to him and ask for his involvement in the return of the kidnapped soldiers." 10. Solana and Peretz sit at table to begin meeting STORYLINE: Israel's Cabinet approved the UN cease-fire deal on Sunday, clearing a key hurdle to ending the monthlong Mideast war, a senior government official said. The 24-0 vote, with one abstention, came a day after the Lebanese government approved the agreement, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave his grudging consent. The truce was to take effect on Monday morning, but the potential for new flare-ups remained high. Former Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz abstained in the vote, said a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the details of the meeting with reporters. Before the meeting Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, said that Israel was seeking the release of the two soldiers captured by Hezbollah, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, which sparked Israel's offensive on Lebanon on July 12th. "Our government will do everything within its power to bring about not only their release, but also that of Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped by Hamas," Olmert said. Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants linked to Hamas at an Israeli army position on the edge of the Gaza Strip on June 25. Also in Jerusalem Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz met with European foreign policy chief Javier Solana to discuss the planned ceasefire between the Israeli army and the Hezbollah fighters. Peretz said that the Israeli troops were "still fighting in order to reach positions which will guarantee protection for our forces and also promise the implementation of the agreement." He added that he would ask Solana to intervene on the return of the captured soldiers. Solana arrived in Jerusalem after two rounds of talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
