Israeli PM at Cabinet meeting, Olmert comments on Gaza

(25 Dec 2005) 1. Exterior shot of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office 2. Close-up of sign reading "Prime Minister's Office" 3. Pan to Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom arriving at meeting 4. Tracking shot of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arriving at meeting 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ehud Olmert, Israeli Vice Prime Minister: "We adopted a unilateral action which was implemented in the disengagement, this is just an evidence of how sceptical we were about the ability of the Palestinian Authority in the first place to assume entire responsibility for what happens in the territories. We are certainly anxious to encourage the Palestinian Authority to take charge and we wish that Abu Mazen will emerge out of these coming elections as the sole authority in the Palestinian territories in order to allow us to move forward, jointly, to implement the road map." 6. Mid of Sharon at meeting, pan to ministers attending meeting 7. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister: "I want to wish the Christian Catholic citizens of Israel a merry Christmas. Yesterday evening I called the heads of the Catholics and I asked them to convey my wishes to their people. Tonight we will light a Hanukah candle and I am sure that we will celebrate a happy holiday. I wish it to you, your families and all the citizens of Israel. I hope you will eat doughnuts." 8. Wide of cabinet meeting STORYLINE: A week after being hospitalised for a mild stroke, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday morning. Since his release from hospital last Tuesday, the Israeli Prime Minister has spent most of his time resting, as his medical team ordered. Sharon's medical condition was not discussed during the meeting. However, his health has become an issue in the elections due to be held 28th of March, 2006. The Haaretz newspaper's website reported on Sunday that Sharon's medical team will give details on his condition in a press conference on Monday. During his Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Sharon wished "merry Christmas" to the Christian Catholic citizens of the Israel. He also said they would light the traditional Hanukah candle, "I hope you will eat doughnuts," Sharon said telling Israel Jews to eat the traditional Hanukah doughnuts. During the meeting, the ministers discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip. After a week in which several Qassam rockets were fired from the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip into Southern Israel, the ministers discussed possible reactions. One of the rockets fired last week hit an Israeli military base and lightly injured four soldiers. The homemade rockets are highly inaccurate but last week Palestinians succeeded in hitting the outskirts of Ashkelon, sparking fears among Israelis that they had achieved a new capability. Israeli media has reported that Israel is considering enforcing a buffer zone in the Northern Gaza Strip, to be enforced by air patrols that will ensure that people wanting to launch rockets will not be able to do so. Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said they adopted a unilateral action which had been implemented in the disengagement of the Palestinian territories. "This is just an evidence of how sceptical we were about the ability of the Palestinian Authority in the first place to assume entire responsibility for what happens in the territories, " he added. 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...