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Weve Had Enough!
Former Defense Minister and longtime Oslo and Gaza Disengagement supporter Binyamin Ben-Eliezer is calling for the IDF to do "whatever is necessary" to halt Kassam rocket attacks from Gaza. In an interview with Army Radio, the current Minister of National Infrastructure, Ben-Eliezer exclaimed, Weve had enough! The rocket attacks must stop! I am tired to burying children and visiting people in the hospital, he added, stating the government must order the IDF to do whatever is necessary to bring a complete halt to the attacks. He rejected the opinion of those who feel the attacks cannot be stopped, but rather just minimized at best. Ben-Eliezer, a retired IDF Brigadier General stated he is certain that the attacks can be halted in a two-hour period if and when the military is given the green light to do that which must be done. Ben-Eliezer stated the targeted surgical strikes must be stepped-up, around-the-clock, not only to target terrorists who fire rockets, but with direct strikes against anyone who plays a role in the attacks, including those who transport terrorists. He explained that the objective can and must be achieved, at whatever the cost, reiterating it is simply not an option to permit residents to continue to live with the reality of daily rocket attacks. Have you ever been in Sderot? They are civilians too! stated Ben-Eliezer in an agitated voice, responding to concerns over the condemnations of the international community that IDF fire into Gaza kills innocent civilians. We pulled out of Gaza. Instead of busying themselves with building Gaza, they attack us, he added, rejecting the calls for talks from PA leaders as long as PA security forces do nothing to halt the attacks. During his interview, Ben-Eliezer admitted there is no one to talk to with regard to peace negotiations, stating we cannot conduct talks under fire. He pointed out that in a recent meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak; the Egyptian leader confirmed that he would not sit still for a similar situation, the indiscriminate firing of rockets into civilian population centers. Ben-Eliezer is among the more audible voices calling on IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz to step down. He would like to see former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi move into the top military post, a view that is gaining popularity as Halutz is under increasing scrutiny for the perceived military failures during the recent war in Lebanon. Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-11-17 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=172298 |