Ministers Meir Sheetrit and Rafi Eitan proposed Wednesday that Israel produce its own version of the Qassam rocket to be fired at targets inside the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rocket fire on its southern communities.
The suggestion was made at a meeting of the security cabinet to discuss the ongoing military operation aimed at countering Qassam fire from Gaza.
The two said that this kind of rocket, which would cost very little, would cause a small amount of damage but would put pressure on the population in Gaza.
…Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai of Shas proposed that Israel use air strikes to destroy Palestinian towns and villages in response to the rocket fire, after giving local residents advance notice allowing them to evacuate their homes.
…Shas MK Yitzhak Cohen proposed cutting off the supply of electricity, water and fuel to the Strip, and justify the move by saying that Qassam rockets had destroyed Israel’s infrastructure and that it will take a long time to repair the facilities with which to supply the Palestinians with basic resources. Shin Bet security service director Yuval Diskin suggested that Cohen’s idea is worth examining.
—Haaretz, today
Surely they jest. It must be a cruel joke, right? But indeed they do not. Because Hamas is using crude, largely ineffective, difficult to aim missiles against Sderot–Israel should adopt the same tactics?? I’m–well, speechless is what I am. This is a brilliant tactic. It will certainly sow terror into Gaza, bring it to its knees and cause it immediately to surrender.
As for engineering the wholesale destruction of Palestinian towns and villages…it certainly worked in Lebanon, didn’t it? It oughta work in Gaza too.
How about cutting off basic vital supplies necessary to sustain life? That’s a winner too. The rockets have allegedly destroyed “Israel’s infrastructure.” That is, a few roofs, cars and a parking lot. Certainly comparable to the havoc that Israel has rained on Gaza in the past year since the Shalit kidnapping.
Make no mistake, I am opposed to Qassams and condemn the killing of innocent civilians on both sides. But with brilliant ideas like the ones above Israel might as well tell its government to quit and nominate a three-ring circus to take their place. They’re about as effective.
Oh, and I’d suggest that each of the above minister leave their calling cards with the International Court of Justice as, if their suggestions are implemented, that Court will definitely be inviting them to explain themselves at a future date.
I agree with you that those are useless suggestions. What Israel needs to do is stop the bombardment of its cities and communities in the proximity of the Gaza strip. That is the governments obligation to its citizens. The only way to do that is to completely conquer the Gaza strip and rid it of its weapons and fighters and those that give them material support. Israel is capable of doing this, it requires some leadership though.
A recipe for endless conflict & death. It is no solution, certainly not a long term one.
Should we totally sell our birthright for a mess of Kassams?
I am not one who holds Israel to a higher standard than the
other nations of the world, but certainly we should not be
lower.
I am not sure what yr comment means? Who is saying that Israel will cease to exist because of Qassam rocket attacks? If you really want the Qassams to stop you have to look at the larger picture. A peace agreement bet. Israel and the Palestinians will stop the Qassams. But Olmert refuses to even consider such talks.
I don’t disagree with you about a peace treaty. My earlier post spoke to
Israael losing it’s soul if it continually sinks to the lowest level, even if I
grant the sense in a military solution, which I don’t.
I meant that our birthright is a moral one, which your article
points out that we are violating.
Golem
Forgive me for misunderstanding you. I get so many negative comments here fr. folks disagreeing vehemently w. me that I didn’t understand that your comment was agreeing w. my pt of view.
As I wrote here, the width of the double standard is absolutely ridiculous. A similar situation happens in Lebanon, and they level the area.
If Israel even aims in the general direction, the UN Secretary General is standing by with a camera to check for collateral civilian damage.
No country in the world would tolerate bombardment across the border. Why is Israel expected to, and understand the ‘reason’s and make concessions to stop it???
i suggest that you go and visit sderot before belittling what effect kassams can have on a community
My pt. is not to belittle the effect they have on Sderot. My pt. is to acknowledge the mutual terror rained down on both Sderot and Gaza with Israeli terror being far more lethal & effective than Palestinian terror. Both sides suffer. My goal is acknowledge both & do what I can to try to end the pain on both sides.
No one is suggesting that Israel “understand the reasons.” The Qassam shelling is odious. But so is the ongoing Israeli Occupation. There is a simple way to end all of this. Return to 67 borders.