(30 Dec 2002)
Tel Aviv
1. U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman seated with Israeli Labor Party Leader Amran Mitzna
2. Mitzna and Lieberman shaking hands
SOUNDBITE: (English) Joseph Lieberman, US Senator:
"I tried to make it clear to the Saudis, as directly as I could at what is a difficult time in the Saudi/US relationship, but the Saudi relationship remains very important to both countries, that if we need to go to war on Iraq and the Saudis appear not to be giving us the support for our military that we need, it will very badly affect our relationship - if they do give us that support it will go a long way towards repairing any breaches that may have occurred in the last year. If I can put it this way, I left feeling that the Saudis will not disappoint us".
3. Wide shot of the two men seated together
Tel Aviv
4. Wide shot of primary school children listening to soldier
5. Various of children listening to soldier and practicing putting masks on
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Pupil at school
"I think its very important to put the mask (on) and I think this can protect us. It's important."
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Pupil at school
"I think we learned something because, I need to put it (the mask on) and I didn't know how to put it on before."
8. Wide shot children at school
Jerusalem
9. Exterior of Supreme Court
10. Court room with lawyers and refuseniks
11. People leaving court
12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Sfard, Lawyer for Refuseniks
"The court did not accept the State Attorney's argument that the Phenomenon of the year 2002 refuseniks, is not conscientious objection but civil disobedience and is motivated by political means and reasons. In this respect I think we had a very big achievement today. The highest court in our land decided that it believes the candidness of the refuseniks arguments."
13. Lawyer walking away
STORYLINE:
US Senator Joseph Lieberman warned on Monday, that if Saudi Arabia failed to support the US military in a strike against Iraq, it would have a severe impact on their already compromised relationship.
"If we need to go to war on Iraq and the Saudis appear not to be giving us the support for our military that we need, it will very badly affect our relationship - if they do give us that support it will go a long way towards repairing any breaches that may have occurred in the last year", said Liberman at a meeting in Tel Aviv with Labor Party leader, Amran Mitzna.
Lieberman was in Israel after a whistlestop tour of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.
Across Israel, schools began preparing children for the possibility of an attack from Iraq. Soldiers explained how gas masks should be put on and what the children should do in case of a strike.
Meanwhile in Jerusalem, Israel's Supreme Court dismissed a petition by reserve soldiers refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories, claiming it to be against international law.
If the court had ruled in their favour it would have been a landmark decision, defining Israel's occupation as
illegal.
The case was based on a petition of eight reservists, who argue they are legally obliged to refuse to serve because Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip violates international law.
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