““In Hamas they are very, very concerned about an Israeli decision to strike them — the deterrence exists 100 percent,” Likud MK Yoav Kisch said at a cultural event in Petah Tikva on Saturday. “The prime minister is dealing with the security issue as if there are no elections, and if need be we’ll conquer Gaza before the elections” on April 9, Kisch added. Kisch said the retaliatory strikes exacted a “heavy price” from Hamas, who he insisted was wary of a major military conflict with Israel.” (more…)
Likud MK: Netanyahu ready to conquer Gaza before elections ‘if need be’
March 16, 2019
Opposition accuses PM of having lost Israel’s deterrence, but Labor MK says it’s ‘absurd’ her colleagues are going after PM for showing restraint
Benjamin Netanyahu and MK Yoav Kisch
Times of Israel reports, “A lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party said on Saturday that Israel was prepared to launch a military offensive in the Gaza Strip ahead of upcoming general elections “if need be,” as the premier continued to take flak from figures across the political spectrum over his handling of violence against Israel from the Palestinian territory. Political rivals have charged that Israel has lost its deterrence vis-a-vis the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group in recent years under Netanyahu, who faced considerable criticism after two rockets were fired from the coastal enclave on Thursday night toward Tel Aviv for the first time since the 2014 war.”