Israel to Defend Citizens With Talks, “Uncompromising War” – Foreign Minister
Text of report in English by Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post website on 17 January
[Unattributed report: "FM: Israel Must Defend Citizens Through Uncompromising War"]
Israel will defend its citizens not only through negotiations, but also through “uncompromising war” against Palestinian terror from the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Thursday.
“Israeli is obligated to its citizens, and needs to give an answer to the daily attacks coming from Gaza,” the foreign minister said during a visit to Moscow, adding that “the answer to the Kassam rocket attacks is an uncompromising war on terror which originates from Gaza, and not only through dialogue and negotiations.”
“[Israel] must be clear: when speaking of a Palestinian state, we are talking about two parts -Gaza and the West Bank,” the foreign minister continued.
“The situation in Gaza must change,” she concluded.
Israeli military pressure on Hamas and other Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip will eventually cause the rocket fire on the western Negev to stop, Vice Premier Haim Ramon said Thursday.
“We already see a pretty major weakening within Hamas; a wish on their part to arrive at a cease fire,” Ramon told Army Radio. “The easiest way to bring quiet to the Negev and Sderot will be if Hamas hold their fire.”
A senior Hamas official was quoted by Israel Radio as saying overnight Wednesday that Ismail Haniyeh’s Hamas government would attempt to bring a halt to Kassam rocket fire and other terror attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip.
The source added, however, that it would be difficult to quell the flames so long as Israel continued aggressive operations in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said “We will increase the pressure on the Gaza Strip in order to bring an end to the Kassam rocket fire.”
Speaking during an opening speech at a Naval graduation ceremony in Haifa, Barak said Israel had no intention of softening its stance against terrorists and that military strikes in Gaza will continue as long as necessary.
Originally published by The Jerusalem Post website, Jerusalem, in English 17 Jan 08.
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