Netanyahu: No Government Would Tolerate a Situation Where Its People Live Under Rocket Fire
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Gaza Terrorists IDF Israel Gaza Israel Palestinians Netanyahu Gaza Netanyahu Hamas Netanyahu Obama Netanyahu statement Netanyahu Thursday Operation Pillar of Defense
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem in September 2012.
In the wake of the Israel Defense Forces’ assassination of Hamas military leader Ahmed al-Jabari, more than 150 rockets fired by Gaza terrorists into Israel, and three Israelis being killed, the IDF is now calling army reservists and preparing for a potential ground incursion into Gaza.
The IDF’s operation has become known as “Pillar of Defense.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement Thursday in the wake of these developments.
“In recent days and weeks, Hamas and the other terrorist organizations in Gaza have made normal life impossible for over one million Israelis. No government would tolerate a situation where nearly a fifth of its people live under a constant barrage of rockets and missile fire, and Israel will not tolerate this situation. This is why my government has instructed the Israeli Defense Forces to conduct surgical strikes against the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. And this is why Israel will continue to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people,” Netanyahu said.
The rest of the Nentanyahu’s statement was as follows:
“I want to remind you that seven years ago, Israel withdrew from every square inch of Gaza. Now Hamas, they took over the areas we vacated. What did it do? Rather than build a better future for the residents of Gaza, the Hamas leadership, backed by Iran, turned Gaza into a terrorist stronghold. They fired thousand of rockets at our cities, at our towns, at our civilians, at our children. They’ve smuggled thousands of rockets and missiles into Gaza, and they deliberately place these rockets and missiles in civilian areas: in homes, in schools, near hospitals. This year alone, the fired over one thousand rockets and missiles at Israel, included close to 200 rockets in the last 24 hours.
“I’m stressing this because it’s important to understand one simple point. There is no moral symmetry; there is no moral equivalence, between Israel and the terrorist organizations in Gaza. The terrorists are committing a double war crime. They fire at Israeli civilians, and they hide behind Palestinian civilians. And by contrast, Israel takes every measure to avoid civilian casualties. I saw today a picture of a bleeding Israeli baby. This picture says it all: Hamas deliberately targets our children, and they deliberately place their rockets next to their children. Despite this reality, and it’s a very difficult reality, Israel will continue to do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties.
“Yesterday I spoke to President Obama and I briefed him on Israel’s operations. I want to express my appreciation once again to President Obama for his unequivocal clear sided support for Israel’s right to defend itself. I also want to express my appreciation to the other world leaders I’ve had a chance to speak to in the last 24 hours. I hope that Hamas and the other terror organizations in Gaza got the message. If not, Israel is prepared to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people.”
