Israel Leaders Vow “Uncompromising War” Against Rocket Launchers

Text of report in English by Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post website on 17 January

[Report by jpost.com staff: "Olmert: 'Israel Will Not Take Continued Qassam Rocket Fire"]

Israel will not continue to take the unending Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, and will act ceaselessly against the Islamic Jihad, Hamas and all other Palestinian groups which continue to wage war on Israeli citizens, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed on Thursday.

“We are not looking to fight in the Gaza Strip, we do not want to harm its residents, and we have no special desire to kill any resident,” Olmert told a business conference in Tel Aviv. “But we will not, and we cannot continue to suffer this unending Qassam rocket fire on citizens of the state of Israel that comes from there.”

The prime minister went on to commend the latest string of IDF operations in the Gaza Strip, which has so far killed at least 20 Palestinian operatives, and said that such army activity will continue until rocket attacks stop. “They absorbed a punch, and this punch is not the last one that they will absorb during this insufferable Qassam rocket fire on the southern Israel,” Olmert said, promising that the Jewish state “will continue to act, with wisdom and with ferociousness, with maximal precision in order to hit all those who want to harm us, and without hitting innocent citizens, that are becoming victims of extremism, brutality, hate and incitement.”

Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni made similar comments during her visit to Moscow, saying that Israel will defend its citizens not only through negotiations, but also through “uncompromising war” against Palestinian terror from Gaza. “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.

Earlier Thursday, Vice Premier Haim Ramon said that 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. “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 Sederot will be if Hamas hold their fire.”

A senior Hamas official was quoted by Israel Radio as saying overnight Wednesday that Isma’il Haniyah’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 Baraq said “We will increase the pressure on the Gaza Strip in order to bring an end to the Qassam rocket fire.” Speaking during an opening speech at a Naval graduation ceremony in Haifa, Baraq 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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