Sunday, March 27, 2011

IDF attacks rocket launchers; Netanyahu:Israel "will not tolerate an attack on its civilians"

Israeli aircraft attacked a rocket-launching cell in north Gaza Sunday morning. The army said forces identified a hit. According to sources in the Hamas-ruled territory, two Palestinians were killed and three others were wounded in the strike, one of them seriously.The sources said the terrorists were travelling in the Jabaliya area when a missile fired from an Israeli warplane struck their vehicle. The IDF said they were making their way from Beit Hanoun, located in the northeastern part of the Strip, to Gaza City.

Islamic Jihad said those killed in the strike were members of its armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades.

Referring to the rocket fire towards southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Cabinet that Israel "will not tolerate an attack on its civilians":
"During these two years, we adopted a policy of systematic and consistent responses to any attack against Israel. In the last two weeks, various elements have tried to violate the quiet and the security to which we have become accustomed in the last two years. Naturally, we are interested in quiet and security. While we have no interest in escalating the situation, we will not hesitate to use the might of the IDF against anyone who attacks our people. We will not countenance attacks on our citizens. This is the policy of the Government of Israel. This is the policy of every government and of every country, which have the right and the obligation to defend their citizens".