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War on Terror

Israel defends right to defend itself

Says Gaza rocket fire must be met with force


By Ryan Jones
April 12, 2006

In typical audacious fashion, "human rights" organizations have slammed Israel's belated and limited military response to ongoing "Palestinian" rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, suggesting the Jews should merely sit back and take their licks.

Nearly 20 Palestinian Arabs, mostly known terrorists but also two children, have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes this week that are the result of roughly 500 rockets hitting Jewish towns in the vicinity of Gaza since the beginning of the year.

In a joint letter to Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz and IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz Tuesday, three Israeli and two "Palestinian" organizations said Israel's response to the almost-daily rocket fire was disproportionate, put civilian populations at unacceptable risk, and bordered on criminal.

When asked by Independent Media Review & Analysis what then Israel should do about the rocket attacks, a spokesman for the five groups said that due to the fact the terrorists were using civilians as cover, Israel could do nothing but issue verbal condemnations.

Israel reacted by noting no other nation on earth would accept constant rocket fire on its civilian population without taking decisive military action.

Mofaz told reporters Tuesday:

"As long as calm does not prevail on the Israeli side, neither will it do so on the Palestinian side."

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni concurred:

"The role of the Israeli army is to defend Israeli civilians, combat terrorism and prevent rocket attacks. As long as Palestinians fire at residential area, the army must reply."

Halutz warned that if the rockets continue to fall, Israel will have to consider a ground incursion into Gaza, a move he says would come with a "heavy price to pay."

Western governments and the United Nations have been rather mum on the issue so far, with the notable exception of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who, reportedly "fretting" over the spiralling violence, urged Israel to ignore the threat to its own citizens and curb its military reprisals for the sake of Palestinian Arabs in the line of fire.

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