FILE IMAGE: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry
On October 16th, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said that a harsh Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strike against Hamas is the only way to halt the continued Palestinian attacks against Israel.
“Now is the time for decisions. My position is very clear: We must deal a heavy blow against Hamas. This is the only way to return the situation to its previous state and to reduce the level of violence to nearly zero,” he said.
On the previous day, Lieberman said that a ceasefire in Gaza is only possible after the IDF deals a crushing military blow to Hamas. “In contrast to those who believe that an arrangement is possible with Hamas, I don’t believe there is any chance of this,” the defense minister commented. He made his calls both in the Knesset as well as at the Maariv Conference in Jerusalem.
Avigdor Lieberman is one of the most hawkish voices in the Israeli leadership regarding the issue of the weekly Palestinian protests along the Gaza fence.
Liberman acknowledged that a Gaza military operation must come after “a decision of the entire cabinet.”
“Everyone understands that the situation today cannot continue. We cannot accept violence week after week. The Defense Ministry has used kid gloves before the violence broke out [on March 30], including with international organizations. We have exhausted our options,” he said.
He explained his he became convinced of this after Hamas responded with violence to Israel’s humanitarian gesture on October 9th. To help alleviate the electricity crisis in Gaza, Israel facilitated the transfer into the Strip of a large shipment of Qatari-funded fuel for the Gaza power plant.
“The change came last Friday. We allowed tanks of diesel to enter Gaza and, in return, were facing the kind of violence that we have not seen in a long time. We also saw [Hamas leader Ismail] Haniyeh saying: ‘Diesel and salaries are not going to stop the violence until the blockade is lifted.’”
He also said that opening Gaza’s borders without any inspection mechanism would allow Iran to strengthen its influence in the Strip and would allow for an increased entry of weapons.
“This means Iranian weapons and Hezbollah fighters to Gaza. When Hamas says this, we must accept it as it is, without exegesis. We have paid a heavy price for such interpretations in the past, including in the 1930s.”
“The only formula in my opinion is rebuilding in exchange for disarmament. At the moment, we need to make decisions, and I hope the cabinet will make decisions. The only way is a heavy blow that can, in my opinion, lead to five years of quiet,” Liberman said.
Israel cannot agree to Hamas’ demands for a ceasefire because they include the liftin of all Israeli restrictions on Gaza’s border. Israel has three demands for the blockade to end, they include the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza, a Hamas renunciation of its goal to destroy Israel and a pledge to demilitarize the Gaza Strip, according to Lieberman.
On October 14th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would launch a “different” kind of response if the attacks from the Gaza Strip against his country do not end.
The hawkish calls in Israel are further reinforced by the unrelenting support from the US in every sort of policy, be it military or economic.
On October 11th, this support was reinforced by a US warship visiting Israel for the first time in 19 years. “This is the first visit in some 19 years by an American destroyer at the Ashdod port,” Netanyahu said as he toured the ship with his wife, Sara. “There is significance to this visit; it symbolizes that deep alliance between Israel and the United States.”
Netanyahu further commented that the US Navy warship USS Ross’s port of call in Ashdod is a clear signal that Washington backs Israel’s military efforts to prevent Iranian intervention in Syria.
Hamas also responded to Israeli officials hawkish calls for an operation in Gaza. The movement said that Israel’s “empty threats” will not scare the Palestinians.
“The threats serve as an incentive for increased participation in the March of Return, its continuity and its development,” Hamas said in a statement.
An Egyptian delegation is due to visit Ramallah on October 18th in an effort to avert a military confrontation in the Gaza Strip and end the Hamas-Fatah rift.
As usual, local Hamas-Fatah leaders are fighting each other instead of focusing on common goals.
That’s why Gaza conflict lasts already 70 years without clear outcome.
The ASHKENAZI Jew has been at WAR with SEMITIC Palestinians, since 1947
and they are winning ….
It looks like that because we see day by day. The truth is they already lost but they don’t know it.
Their strength is having a strong bodyguard (USA) but the bodyGuard is terminally ill and won’t be there for long. They are trying to get as much from as they can and weaken everybody around them before the bodyguard gives out his last breath.
The problem is, the damage they are doing is creating some sort of an adaptation to them from their target and a hatred towards them from their non targets.
They don’t know, but them too are terminally ill. How long can this last? I don’t know.
I read that original Palestine people are making just slightly above 50% of population due to new constructed Israeli “settlements” and due to emigration to Jordan.
So it is only matter of time when the Gaza strip problem will be “solved” by “depopulation”.
that is your inner wish. Reality in the mean time dont show them as the final winners.
Unfortunately, for mankind, yes
They are losing international respect using every piece of military infrastructure it has against a small over populated slit of land Gaza.
The Gaza strip is to be subjected to an Aerial onslaught to shift Israel failure to launch an Aerial attack in Syria since the S300 along with a multitude of air defence systems supplied by Russia. Even the Syrian old S-200 and 125 missiles were having success.
Iran already manages to send arms to Gaza and Hezbollah trainers have visited Gaza and trained plenty of fighters there plenty of times over the years, as indeed they continue to do so today. Point is, blockade or not, the Resistance is resourceful and more and more capable with every passing day.
And let’s remember here that idf tanks and jewish foot soldiers dared NOT enter Gaza itself during the last jewish assault on Palestinian moslems and christians in Gaza – all jews did was attack from the air: aerial hit and run missions. So like, bring it on, little cowards of israel, and you’ll find that the Gazans will be bringing down your evil jets in the next war. Oh yeah they’ve now got their land-to-air missiles to shoot down the mass murdering pilots and put the heebeejeebeez in the satanic hearts of the rest of the kelpto israeli jewish population.
I’m afraid that Iran is a bit counterproductive :(
Firstly, there is internal fight Hamas vs Fatah in Gaza. Putting weapons in Gaza = they will use them against each other.
Secondly, Iran has no “muscles” to destroy Israel so it is not wise to proclaim they want to do so.
It only gives Israel excuse to bomb everything in Syria and so on.
Thirdly, Palestinian resistance should not be connected with Iran from political reasons. They should better cooperate with Taliban and found one solution for Gaza and Lebanon and West banks problems. Just my opinion.
The “Taliban”? Lol! Man you’re sooo very off the mark and geographically-challenged. And don’t you know by now that israel is a paper tiger good at only mass murdering unarmed civilians?! And you talk about Iran and the Resistance like they have zero retaliatory abilities. You talk about them like there’s no ‘balance of terror’ firmly established between the two opposing sides now. You talk about the situation as if the hezb (and Iran!) didn’t win the 2006 war against israel – you talk like the hezb’s victory did not shift the region into a new goepolitical paradigm, which is to israel’s disadvantage – a disadvantage that they’ve not managed yet to reverse. Sorry but your “opinion” is truly inconsequential and pickled in hasbara juice.
Well, why not. Libanese Hezbollah backed from Iran has supply routes to Israel nearly as long as Taliban from Afghanistan. But there is slight difference between them.
Taliban is controlling already 75% of Afghanistan and after 17 years long war is showing at least some military skills.
I wish I could say something similar about Hezbollah and other Shia Iran backed militias. Their results are quite poor and what is even worse – they are quarreling and hating each others.
You seem to forget that:
• In 2000, Hezbollah kicked Israel out of the south of Lebanon after a nearly two-decades long illegal occupation. Israeli military officials called it a “humiliating defeat”.
• In 2006, Israel couldn’t achieve a single militarily objective in the war it planned and waged against Hezbollah. Mossad and Shin-Bet directors called it a “national disaster” and a “critical blow”:
I see it quite different. Hesbollah captured some IDF soldiers (5 or so) and give Israel excuse for full invasion, which failed, but caused incredible damage to Lebanon’s infrastructure worth billions USD.
Since that time IDF used Lebanon’s airspace for free rides on Syria and bombing Lebanon and Syria targets with impunity.
This probably changed recently after IL20 was shot down over Syria, but only time will tell us.
The main difference between Taliban and Hesbollah is, that Taliban has real victories, gains on the ground and making terrible damage to US army (some 5 trillions dollars were spent in Afghanistan without any military results).
Hesbollah was able to kill some 5 IDF soldiers 16 years ago with huge support from Iran. Taliban is killing the same amount of US soldiers month by month without any support.
As I suspected, you don’t seem to have a clue what you’re talking about.
What are you raving about?
Again, what are you raving about?
Ignoring for a long moment your gross historical ignorance and the non sequitur nature of your argument, the presence of the US in Afghanistan is meant to be sustained. Besides, you’re forgetting the lucrative opium trade the US is conducting there.
Hezbollah is THE most successful resistance group of the 21st century. Hands down. They beat the crapola outta israel in numerous battles and 2 wars and you call them ‘unskilled’? LOL! Military academies around the world, including in israel, study their successful asymmetrical tactics. You still wanna call them ‘unskilled’? LOL sure you will, sure you will with a hasbara cherry on top.
The Zionists couldn’t have their way in Syria, cannot wage another war on Hezbollah; might as well bomb/kill more Palestinians on the pretext of fighting Hamas.
Exactly and just like spoilt children :)
Always a sorry sight to see when Israelis with all their supposed military might bully an entrenched Palestinian population that barely has what it needs to survive.
What a godless immoral people Israelis are…
The only thing that comes out of Israel and his mouth is hatred, racism, threats, wars and destruction.
I think they’ll end up doing it by the end of the year if the amount of lone wolf attacks and mass demonstrations continue. It’s not a question of if the IDF will be able to purge 95% of Hamas but whether the remaining 5% will be able to reform the group.
And regardless Hamas’ trash talk if they annoy Israel enough they will do it and won’t feel bad about it when the UN condemns it,