Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this morning made the following remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting:

“We will discuss the top priority issue of preparations for the opening of the school year next Sunday. 3.9.06; we will be briefed by the Education Ministry beforehand.

We will approve Health Minister Yaakov Ben-Yizri's and Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson's proposal regarding the addition of certain medicines and technologies to the health services and medicines baskets for 2006-2007 in accordance with the decision of the professional committee chaired by Prof, Mutaka Shani that was appointed to deal with the issue.  I would like to emphasize that the Government did not decide to deal with this or that medicine.  To this end, a very senior, world class professional committee was appointed.  Its recommendations are the basis of the Government's decisions.  This must be clear and well known.

We will also approve – in accordance with Defense Minister Amir Peretz's proposal – a series of unique benefits for reservists who served during the war in Lebanon.  We will also approve the appointment of Prof. Manuel Trachtenberg as special economic adviser to the Government."