Ministers say no major Gaza military op until at least next week

Israeli tanks near the Gaza border

Tamar Pileggi writes in Times of Israel, “The security cabinet on Sunday decided to hold off on a wide-scale military offensive in the Gaza Strip for at least a week, despite warnings from the prime minister and defense minister that Israel was poised to unleash a serious response to the recent surge in deadly violence along the border with the Palestinian enclave. Ministers decided to wait and see if ruling terror group Hamas heeds the warnings from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman earlier on Sunday, and tamps down the violence, Hadashot television news reported.”

“After the four-hour meeting, Liberman indicated to the Kan public broadcaster that he supported a military operation in Gaza, saying that Israel had “exhausted all existing options” in dealing with the months of Hamas-orchestrated riots along the border. ‘We have exhausted all existing options’” he said. ‘I don’t want Hamas leaders to be under any illusions, we are prepared to give the hardest blow possible. What we saw last week requires us to redeploy,’ Liberman said, but added that Israel did not need to fully conquer Gaza in order to inflict a harsh blow.’ Military officials, however, were said to be opposed to an operation, according to the television report.”…

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman visits a military exercise

“Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu issued his own sharp warning to Hamas, suggesting Israel could be on the brink of a full-blown military operation against Gaza’s rulers if violent riots along border fence persist. ‘Hamas hasn’t understood the message,’ Netanyahu told ministers and reporters at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday morning. ‘If they don’t stop the attacks they will be stopped in another way, which will be painful. Very painful.’” (more…)