EXCLUSIVE AP interview with Israeli PM Olmert on ongoing conflict

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• published: 24 Jul 2015
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1. Set-up shot of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in his office 2. Reporter 3. UPSOUND (English) AP reporter asking question, partly overlaid by Olmert listening: "Given the fact that the goals of this offensive seems to have changed - in the beginning it appeared that the idea was to dismantle Hezbollah, and now we are looking at moving the group away from the Israeli border. What is your definition of victory of this offensive?" 4. SOUNDBITE (English): Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister: "Certainly changing the situation on ground in the south part of Lebanon and the north part of the state of Israel is a major and very significant change. In other words, if there will not be any contact immediately between the Israeli forces and Hezbollah, if there will be an international force in the south part of Lebanon this will be the beginning of the implementation of the 15-59 resolution of the United Nations at the end of which Hezbollah will be disarmed. So we are just distinguishing between the strategic goal, which is to indeed implement the resolution 15-59 and dismantle Hezbollah, and the immediate change, which will avoid any further contact between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah, will push Hezbollah out of the south of Lebanon, will allow the presence of international forces that will be robust, effective, combative. And I think this is a major change in the situation and a very significant upset of any strategical plan of Iran and the Hezbollah for the Middle East." 5. UPSOUND (English) AP reporter asking question: "Can you talk a bit about the timetable. At this point, how much longer do you think the offensive will last and are we arriving at the stage when we are winding it down now?" 6. SOUNDBITE (English): Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister: "Well, ultimately it all depends on how fast the UN will adopt resolutions and how further they will bring the international force into the south of Lebanon. Israel will stop fighting when the international force will be present in the south part of Lebanon. We can't stop before it because if there will not be a presence of very effective, robust military international force, Hezbollah will be there and we will have achieved nothing. Therefore, this is really the most important, significant line where from we can think of ceasefire." 7. Cutaway of reporter 8. SOUNDBITE (English): Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister: 9. Pan of reporter and Olmert in office STORYLINE Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an exclusive Associated Press interview on Wednesday that Israel's three-week-old offensive in Lebanon will stop only once a robust international peacekeeping force was in place in southern Lebanon. In an interview in his Jerusalem office, Olmert also said the release of two Israeli soldiers captured by Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas must be unconditional, signalling Israel does not favour a prisoner swap. He had harsh words for Syrian leaders, calling them "reckless," "immature," and promoters of "terror". Olmert's comments on the international force were his clearest indication to date that Israel would resist European pressure for an immediate ceasefire. It's not clear how long it will take to put such a force together. "Israel will stop fighting when the international force will be present in the south of Lebanon," Olmert said. "We can't stop before because if there will not be a presence of a very effective and robust military international force, Hezbollah will be there and we will have achieved nothing," he added. But disagreements have emerged between the US and Europe over the issue, with the latter favouring an immediate ceasefire, even before an international force is deployed. Turning to Syria to help solve the crisis would be useless, Olmert said. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/65831d0d4bb16018d709defa1cba0154 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork