Gaza-region mayors to Olmert: do something about Qassams

Seven southern municipal leaders send harsh letter to Prime Minister Olmert, urge him to take urgent action in face of ongoing rocket attacks; 'we have waited patiently, sustained attacks quietly, but no more,' letter reads

Shmulik Hadad Published: 05.20.08, 20:33 / Israel News
Gaza-region mayors to Olmert: do something about Qassams

No more: Seven municipal leaders from Israel's south sent a harsh letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Tuesday, urging him to act against ongoing rocket attacks sustained by southern communities.

"Until today we showed restrained, waited patiently, bit our lips, sounded warnings, calmed our residents, and sustained attack quietly – no more," the letter reads.

The municipal leaders stressed that they view the government as responsible for the security of residents, and noted that they feel as though they are asked to show restraint and wait that because they live in peripheral areas.

"We have been watching with concern the ongoing process of erosion of residents' social, national, and mental strength; some carry mental traumas and suffer from shock and anxiety, others had their limbs severed…and some joined the family of the bereaved."

'Ministers don't deliver on promises'
The municipal leaders, which include the mayors of Sderot, Ashkelon and Netivot, decided to send the letter in a meeting Sunday, where they also agreed to join forces in order to lift the rocket threat faced by southern residents. On Monday, 21 representatives of area kibbutzim also met and decided to coordinate their protest efforts.
The municipal leaders demand that Olmert stop the rocket attacks immediately and say that they will back any operation that would end the attacks.

Haim Yalin, who heads the Eshkol regional council, told Ynet that southern residents have lost their patience.

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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3545776,00.html

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli government has failed to carry out its plan to rehabilitate the north of the country following the summer 2006 war with Lebanon, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss said in his annual report Tuesday. Lindenstrauss' document slams Premier Ehud Olmert's government for failing to provide adequate resources to help northern Israel, which was hit by thousands of Hizbullah rockets during the 34-day war.

"The plan to strengthen the north created many expectations, especially among residents of Haifa and the north. The plan faded away and its effect has hardly been felt," the report said.

"One would expect that after the residents of the north had to go through such a difficult war, the government would assume responsibility and take decisive action to rehabilitate it."

According to the report, although the government earmarked 4 billion shekels (over $1 billion), only 2.8 billion shekels had in fact been allocated.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=92249