(1 Apr 2007)
Jerusalem
1. German chancellor Angela Merkel receiving honorary doctorate at ceremony at Hebrew University
2. Wide of ceremony
3. Merkel walking to podium
4. SOUNDBITE: (German) Angela Merkel, German chancellor:
"I am well aware that we Europeans should not assume that we can enforce a solution, just like that - perhaps even from above. No. We can't, and I don't want that either."
5. Wide of audience applauding
6. Wide of Merkel and Olmert at podiums during ceremony outside the Prime Minister's office
7. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister:
"From the first moment I was deeply impressed by her sensitivity, wisdom and never-ending effort to understand more and more, and from the will to lend a responsible ear to Israel and hear the distress it has to face."
8. Reporters
9. SOUNDBITE: (German) Angela Merkel, German chancellor:
"The Federal Republic of Germany, but also the members of the European Union, feel responsible to make a contribution towards enabling the people of Israel to live in peace and security. That's why we are getting involved in attempts at a peace process. That's why we have lobbied the European Union to take responsibility in the name of the Quartet (Russia, EU, USA and UN)."
10. Olmert and Merkel shaking hands
11. Olmert and Merkel standing for ceremony
Ramallah, West Bank
12. Tilt down exterior shot of presidential office
13. Red carpet laid out for arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, honour guard
14. Honour guard
15. Merkel is greeted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, they walk along carpet
16. Wide of Abbas and Merkel walking
17. Mid shot Abbas and Merkel shaking hands, they go into building
18. Medium shot of Abbas and Merkel talking at photo opportunity
19. Palestinian delegation
20. German delegation, tilt up to Abbas and Merkel shaking hands
STORYLINE:
In her first Mideast trip as EU president, German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Europe's help in bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, trying to build on a new burst of international efforts to restart peace talks.
"We have lobbied for the European Union to take responsibility in the name of the Quartet," said Merkel in a joint news conference with Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert.
Merkel's visit came after the Arab world renewed a land-for-peace offer to Israel last week at a summit in Saudi Arabia.
Since then, the Quartet of Mideast mediators - the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - has said it hopes to arrange a meeting with moderate Arab states, Israel and the Palestinians before the summer.
But Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, also said that the alliance should be aware that it could not enforce a solution.
"We can't, and I don't want that either," she told the assembled audience.
The German chancellor also called on Hamas to release captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to demonstrate commitment to progress in peace talks with Israel.
Merkel made the comment during a ceremony at the Hebrew University, where the former physics teacher received an honorary degree.
The German leader is on a three-day Mideast tour and arrived in Israel on Saturday, after meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba.
On Sunday morning, she met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and paid a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and memorial, where she laid a wreath decorated with ribbons bearing the German flag.
Later, Merkel arrived in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where she had a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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