| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Olmert vows to end Hamas' rule in Gaza |
| 2008-11-17 |
| An Israeli air strike killed four militants in the Gaza Strip on Sunday and interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the truce with the Islamist Hamas movement was "shattered" and that he had commissioned a plan for military action in the Hamas-run territory if rocket attacks on Israel persist. "I ordered security chiefs to present their proposals to me as soon as possible so that an orderly plan of action could, if necessary, be brought to the decision-makers in the government for approval," Olmert told his cabinet, in broadcast remarks. The problem with Olmert hasn't been so much the plans as changing his mind once they're under way. "Indecisive" is his middle name. "The responsibility for the shattering of the calm and the creation of a situation of prolonged and repeated violence in the south of the country is entirely on Hamas and the other terror groups in Gaza," Olmert told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting. Olmert said that he had asked the heads of Israeli security bodies to immediately draw up plans and present the government with options for action to end Hamas' 17-month-old rule in the Gaza Strip. "There is no one who can criticize the Israeli government... We cannot tolerate this price tag that the terror organizations are trying to set against our right to prevent the continuing terror attacks and threats," he said. On the other hand, the usual suspects will in fact criticize the Israeli government. Yehud will take those criticisms to heart and change his mind. All measures implemented will be half measures. Hamas will gain in stature and the voters of Israel will continue voting Kadima. "We have taken action and will continue to take action in order to make sure that this 'calm' does not turn against the citizens of Israel," he said. The five-month-old truce was recently shaken after Israel soldiers entered Gaza and clashed with Hamas forces; continued Israeli air strikes and alleged militant rocket fire have further strained the truce. Hamas leaders accused Israel of violating a truce that had largely held since mid-June. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said: "We have the right to Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's top leader in Gaza, told reporters that a "continuation of this calm" depended on Israel ending military raids and lifting a two-week border closure that has choked off fuel and food aid to the enclave. World heads slammed Israel for its "collective punishment" of Gaza's 1.5 million people by blocking food, aid and fuel to the impoverished strip in response to rocket fire by rebel groups or militants. Human rights groups labeled the situation in Gaza as a "catastrophe" and urged world leaders to step in to stop Israel's blockade of 1.5 million people who do not participate in militant activity. Israeli officials said a large-scale ground operation in Gaza to try to curb rocket attacks would cause heavy casualties on both sides. Such an assault would pose political risks for members of Olmert's coalition cabinet as a Feb. 10 parliamentary election approaches. Olmert resigned in September but serves as a caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed after the ballot. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 For once I'm glad Udi is such an incompetent: given the attitudes of "International Community", two Paleosimian proto states is better for Israel than one. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-11-17 02:49 |