(Communicated by the Foreign Minister's Bureau)
In a conference call to Israeli ambassadors abroad, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni said:
"Israel's struggle against Hamas is not a matter of a single military operation, and we must make it clear that in striking at Hamas, Israel is carrying out the interests of the free world against the extremist camp. The understanding of Israel's military operation is the outcome of three years of hard work which established Hamas as an illegitimate terror organization.
Since the beginning of the operation in Gaza, we have succeeding in bringing the world to understand that Hamas's arms smuggling into Gaza is a problem which must be solved, and we must continue to emphasize this as part of our efforts to weaken Hamas in the long term. However, it must be stressed that even if an international solution is found to the problem of smuggling, Israel will retain the right and the ability to act against continued arms smuggling - militarily as well.
We must make it clear to the world that, beyond the deterrence which Israel has created vis-a-vis Hamas, the operation in Gaza will not end in dialogue or agreements with the Hamas terror organization. Israel has succeeded in maintaining the illegitimacy of Hamas since its rise to power, and the current operation will not end with an arrangement that will grant it legitimacy."
Referring to the statement by Syrian President Assad on the effect of the operation in Gaza on extremists in the region, FM Livni said: "If Syria is concerned with planting seeds of extremism in the region, it should remove Hamas headquarters from Damascus and put an end to its support of Hamas. Hamas is supported by Syria and strengthened by Iran, and Israel's actions in Gaza represent the struggle of the moderate forces against the extremist offshoots in the region."