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 05 September 2008 06:11 BST

Olmert calls for end to air strikes and raids on Gaza Strip

Monday, 10 Mar 2008 14:36
Ehud Olmert has called for an end to air strikes and raids on the Gaza Strip
Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has told the country's military to stop air strikes and raids on the Gaza Strip.

Mr Olmert is believed to have called for operations to be scaled back to allow Egypt to enter into peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

In recent weeks violence has dramatically increased between the two sides, culminating in the shooting of eight Jewish students in a Jerusalem school on Thursday night.

Mr Olmert said today that those responsible for the shooting were trying to undermine peace talks between himself and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

"Their purpose is to divert us for a path of peace," the Israeli prime minister said.

"There's no chance that they will succeed."

Mr Abbas recently called off the negotiations, protesting against an Israeli assault into Gaza, which left over 120 Palestinians dead.

Israel claimed the offensive was launched in retaliation to Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Senior officials from both sides have been meeting in Egypt to discuss resolving the current crisis.

Mr Olmert claimed that Israel would have no reason to attack the Gaza Strip if the rocket assaults stopped.

The Israeli prime minister and Mr Abbas have set a target of reaching a final peace deal by December.End of story


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