The Times interview with Ehud Olmert: full transcript

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Q: You have talked of British troops taking part in the multinational force envisaged for south Lebanon. Is this a preference or a precondition?

A: I told Tony Blair yesterday .... I wanted the British Army out of Israel in 1948 and thank God we achieved it but I don’t mind having British soldiers as part of an international force in Lebanon because I trust the integrity of the British government and the British soldiers. I know that, as part of the international force, they will help fulfil the obligation which is to push out Hezbollah from the areas threatening the State of Israel and help disarm this organisation as part of the UN resolution 1559. But I didn’t make it a precondition, and I am not talking only about the British soldiers. As far as I am concerned the French are welcome, the Germans are welcome, the Italians are welcome. Turkish forces are welcome. The Saudis, Egyptians.
Anyone that is determined to fulfil that mission, of stopping violence against innocent Israelis from Lebanon and disarming this murderous organisation Hezbollah, which is the long arm of Iran."

Q: In the past Israel hasn’t been very happy to see international soldiers on the ground in this area. Why is this situation different?

A: You are talking about the Territories, Judea, Samaria and Gaza. This is a different situation. That is one thing. Another, in Lebanon we wanted an effective international force. We didn’t like very much UNIFIL which was very useless and very helpless. Look what happened. Did you hear of any particular efforts of the United Nations UNIFIL force in the south of Lebanon to prevent the attacks against Israel in the first place. So they were not useful and that is why we were unhappy with them. The Territories of Judea, Samaria and Gaza are no parallel to Lebanon. Lebanon is a country governed and dominated entirely by a terrorist organisation and the government is unable to cope with it. And while Israel pulled out entirely from Lebanon as was recognised by UN resolution 425, I think that the only way at this time to stop this violence coming from Lebanon is by first of all qualifying the Lebanon Army to fulfil this duty and helping this army with an additional international robust force that will be effective. And that’s what we support.

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