PM: Israel Ready to Fight for Defense of the South
Indications are that Israel would begin a military campaign against Gaza Arab terrorists sooner rather than later, analysts said.
First Publish: 11/12/2012, 5:27 PM
PM displays rocket to foreign diplomats
Flash 90
Netanyahu, along with Homefront Security
Minister Avi Dichter, met with some 100 foreign diplomats in Ashkelon,
one of the cities that have in the past been targeted by Gaza Arab
terrorists, and which has been hit dozens of times by Grad and Katyusha
rockets and mortar shells.
Netanyahu described the tension residents
of southern Israel are forced to live under by the terrorists. "If an
alarm is sounded, all of us have exactly 30 seconds to find shelter.
This is the situation in which one million Israelis find themselves in.
That’s families, old people, children, babies – Including like the
children who stand here,” Netanyahu told the ambassadors at the meeting
in Ashkelon. “A million Israelis, including many little children,are
targeted on a daily basis, by people who took areas that we vacated,
that the Government of Israel vacated, came in there, and are now hiding
behind civilians, while firing on civilians, firing on our children.
“I think the whole world understands that
this is not acceptable,” Netanyahu said. “I don’t know of any of your
governments who could accept such a thing. I don’t know of any of the
citizens of your cities, who could find that acceptable and something
that could proceed on a normal basis. It’s something that the people of
Israel can’t accept and it’s something that I, as the Prime Minister of
Israel, I cannot accept it.
“So we’re going to fight for the rights of
our people to defend themselves. We’ll take whatever action is
necessary to put a stop to this,” Netanyahu continued.
“This is not merely our right, it’s also our duty, and it’s something
that I think is understood not only by you, who are here in Ashkelon
today, but by any fair-minded person in any fair-minded government in
the world they would understand that it’s our right to defend our
people, and this is what we shall do."
On a visit to a school
in Netivot Monday, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar mirrrored the Prime
Minister's comments, saying that “residents of southern Israel are going
through a difficult period, but I am telling you in the clearest manner
possible that this situation will not continue to the extent that it
becomes the normal situation. We will not allow that to happen,” he
said.
With that, no final decision has apparently been made. Speaking to reporters in Netivot, Sa'ar said that “the timing of a military
campaign or other action will not be dictated by the terrorists. There
is a great deal of activity going on, including ensuring that foreign
governments understand Israel's situation. We are explaining to them
that we will not continue to tolerate the situation, and we are
preparing scenarios to respond to the current situation, and similar
ones in the future,” Sa'ar said.
As Sa'ar visited the city Monday
afternoon, a Grad rocket fired by Gaza Arab terrorists exploded next to a
factory in the industrial zone of Netivot. Six people suffered from
shock as a result of the attack. Witnesses said that there was a great
deal of damage to the structure.
It was the second attack on the city
Monday; earlier, a rocket fired at the city exploded in a residential
neighborhood. That rocket caused a great deal of damage, gutting a shop
near where the rocket exploded. Twenty six people were treated by
medical personnel after going into shock, with some needing extensive
treatment at a trauma center.
Labels: Conflict, Crisis Politics, Gaza, Hamas, Israel
posted by Pieface | 8:42 AM
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