Weekly cabinet meeting, US envoy meets Shaul Mofaz скачать в хорошем качестве

Weekly cabinet meeting, US envoy meets Shaul Mofaz

(26 Feb 2006) 1. Exterior of Prime Minister's Office 2. Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert walking into meeting 3. Wide shot of cabinet meeting 4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Ehud Olmert, Acting Israeli Prime Minister: "Good morning to you. Today is the birthday of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. We all pray for his health and wish for his speedy recovery." 5. Wide shot of meeting 6. SOUNDBITE (English): Meir Sheetrit, Israeli Cabinet Minister: "It is not a real expectation to believe that Israel will withdraw to '67 borders. It is not an option, and I think the Palestinians know it very well. But maybe it is one step from Hamas towards the right direction, because if they really accept the principles which have been established by the government it will make out of them a partner with which we can discuss an arrangement, which I hope they will do." 7. Sheetrit talking to reporter 8. SOUNDBITE (English): Meir Sheetrit, Israeli Cabinet Minister: "The decision of the government last week was saying very clearly that we are not going to stop the humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. We do not want to see starving Palestinian kids. I think we have to defer between the terrorist organisation and the Hamas government and the Palestinian people." 9. Sheetrit walking away 10. Exterior of hotel hosting meeting between US envoy, David Welch, and Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz 11. Mofaz entering hotel 12. Wide shot of meeting in progress 13. Mid shot of Welch (blue shirt), pan to Mofaz 14. Wide shot of meeting 15. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Shaul Mofaz, Israeli Defence Minister: "We are in the very critical stage with regard to the activity in the Palestinian Authority. Our relations with the US are known and clear, American support for Israeli policies is very important to us and therefore this meeting is very valuable in order to promote the interests of the State of Israel." 16. End shot of meeting STORYLINE: Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert began his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday by paying his respects to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who celebrates his 78th birthday. "We all pray for his health and wish for his speedy recovery," Olmert said. Sharon has been in a coma since he suffered a massive stroke on January 4, 2006. The Cabinet discussed Israeli-Palestinian relations in the light of the recent Hamas victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. Israel, the United States and the European Union consider Hamas a "terrorist organisation". Since their electoral victory in late January, Israel has yet to finalise its policy toward the new government. Israel has claimed that money given to the Palestinian Authority could be used to fund "terrorist activities". However, there are voices in the Israeli Cabinet which fear that cutting off the Palestinian Authority from all aid will cause a humanitarian crisis that will also have an adverse affect on Israel. "I think we have to defer (differentiate) between the terrorist organisation and the Hamas government and the Palestinian people," said cabinet member Meir Sheetrit. The rise of Hamas to power has also produced a dilemma for the international community, keen to support the Palestinians without funding "terrorist" activities. The US and the European Union, the Palestinian Authority's main donors, have threatened to cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in financial backing unless Hamas changes its stance towards Israel. Haniyeh made the statements to 'The Washington Post' newspaper. Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz met US envoy David Welch and also discussed Israeli-Palestinian relations. 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...