Following are excerpts from Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's remarks today, at the ceremony marking the sale of Bank Discount to the Bronfman-Schron group:

"Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer, Edgar Bronfman, Finance Ministry Director-General Dr. Yossi Bachar, incoming Bank Discount Chairman Shlomo Zohar, outgoing Bank Discount Chairman Arie Mientkavich, Finance Ministry Accountant-General Dr. Yaron Zalka, senior Bank Discount officials and dear friends: I am very pleased that the long – and, as has been said, slightly wearying – process involved in buying a bank in the State of Israel from the Government has ended successfully and to the satisfaction of the foreign investors, the Bronfman family and Rubin Schron.  I am especially pleased because when this process began two years ago, it was an important turning point in foreign investors' confidence in massive investments in the Israeli economy.  Since then and up until today, foreign investors have invested approximately $ 20 billion in the Israel.  In 2005 alone, real investments in Israeli industry and in the Israeli capital market amounted to $6.25 billion.  Last year, total foreign investments in Israel amounted to approximately $ 12.5 billion.  These facts indicate the international financial community is rightly confident in the strength of the Israeli economy.  Such matters are especially significant now.  Israel has faced more than a few crises in recent years, which in different circumstances could have made other economies in the world collapse. Despite the question marks that have arisen, the Israeli economy and capital market have withstood the crises. This indicates the strength of both the economy and the capital market, and we are proud of that.  I assure you that we will continue to manage the Israeli economy so that all of these relevant parameters will continue to grow, to prosper, to strengthen both the State of Israel and allow us to maintain the stability of financial institutions, to increase employment and to offer a fair and serious solution to the social distress that vexes us."

Acting Prime Minister Olmert then paid tribute to the Bronfman family, various senior Finance Ministry officials and the Bank Discount management and workers.