Скачать или смотреть Israeli cabinet meets, US Speaker Pelosi meets Barak

(18 May 2008) SHOTLIST

IBA POOL
1. Wide of Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi entering room
2. Various of Pelosi and Barak posing for photos
3. Photographers
4. Pelosi speaking to media, UPSOUND: (English) "May I say how exiting it is to be welcomed by Minister Barak this morning. He has been such a special person to the United States. As a country that values the security of Israel, we know him as a fighter in uniform for Israel, as a fighter for peace as the prime minister and we are pleased to hear what he has to say this morning."
5. Various of Pelosi and Barak in front of media

AP Television News
6. Exterior of Israeli prime minister's office
7. Shaul Mofaz, a former defence minister and military chief arriving at meeting
8. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arriving at meeting
9. Wide of Israeli cabinet meeting
10. SOUNDBITE(Hebrew) Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert:
"We are very close to decisive crossroads on everything concerning the Gaza Strip. The present situation will not continue. I don't think it would be right to go into details, I don't think it would be right at this moment to go into all the aspects of the matter and to talk about it through the headlines."
11. Wide of Olmert in meeting
12. Exterior of prime minister's office

STORYLINE

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday that his country is getting close to "decisive crossroads on everything concerning the Gaza Strip."

The comments came as the US Speaker of the House continued her visit to the region.

Olmert who was speaking at a weekly Israeli cabinet meeting said the current situation of Gaza would not continue, but he did not elaborate.

Olmert is coming under growing domestic pressure to order a military offensive against Hamas, following two deadly missile strikes and a rocket hit on a crowded mall.

Meanwhile, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday and met with Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak.

During a photo opportunity with Barak, Pelosi described him as "a special person to the United States."

"As a country that values the security of Israel, we know him as a fighter in uniform for Israel, as a fighter for peace as the prime minister and we are pleased to hear what he has to say this morning," she said.

Pelosi, who made a surprise visit to Iraq on Saturday, is expected to meet Israeli president Shimon Peres and other officials during the day.

Barak will meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday to discuss efforts to work out a cease-fire between the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip and Israel.

As senior Israeli officials warned in recent days of a growing danger from Hamas, in Gaza, Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing, said Israel was exaggerating Hamas' capacity.

He said it was designed to set the stage for a large-scale operation.

However, he also said Hamas was pushing hard to obtain more weapons.

Olmert has held off on an offensive, in part because Israel does not seem to have an exit strategy.

A reoccupation of Gaza would kill many Israelis and Palestinians, and because the fighting would almost certainly derail Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and thus sabotage a key US foreign policy objective.

Since Hamas seized control of Gaza by force almost a year ago, Israel has routinely targeted Gaza militants in missile strikes or sent ground forces into border areas for limited operations.

It has also dramatically reduced supplies of fuel and commercial goods into the territory to pressure militants to halt their fire.

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...