Israeli premier visits Haifa

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert went within range of Hezbollah rockets tonight, visiting the northern town of Haifa for talks with mayors and local authority heads.

Olmert wanted to meet face-to-face with officials from the northern towns and cities that have been pounded for the past week by rockets fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon, Cabinet Secretary Israel Maimon said.

Eight people were killed by rocket fire in Haifa on Sunday and the city took several more hits today, with at least three people injured and a three-storey building destroyed.

No rockets fell during Olmert’s visit, which took place without priorpublicity.

“It was important for him to get to the north,” Maimon said. “To be in the north, together with the northern residents, to be with the local authority heads, to hear their problems.”