Tension up in Gaza after Israeli airstrikes
Israel says it could launch a full-scale military operation against Gaza, after carrying out multiple airstrikes overnight. Palestinians say three children were injured in the attacks.
But Israel insists Hamas weapon factories were the target. Israeli analyst Raanan Gissin, a former advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, says the attacks are necessary to eradicate aggressive elements.
“We are ready to make peace, we are ready to move forward, to talk without preconditions with anyone who really wants to make peace. Regrettably, I must say the Palestinian National Liberation Movement is not following the will and the wish of the people. It has been taken hostage by Iran, Al Qaeda, and radical global Islamist groups. And it’s not doing good to the Palestinian people,” Gissin said.
“So if you would set the deadline for achieving piece with the Palestinians, the first thing you have to do is to neutralize those radical elements so that the moderate elements with which we can make peace would be able to speak up, to come out and conduct the negotiations.”
But Talal Awkal from Gaza does not think that peace is on Israel's agenda.
“These bombardments are simply a pretext for a full-scale operation against the Gaza Strip. Israel needs such an operation to avoid filling its obligations, to gain time – because of the tensions in the relations with the American administration. In other words, we are facing aggression which is trying to prevent the Palestinians from giving a response. This will be sufficient for them to initiate a large-scale military action against them. Israel is advocating war and is instigating the international community to wage war against Iran,” said Awkal.
“Israel is going through the necessary stages step by step – a Palestinian stage, a Lebanese stage. Israeli troops cannot go far away from its territory as Israel fears the current situation in the south of Lebanon and in Gaza. The present Israeli government wants to dominate the region. Israel is not seeking peace, it is not trying to make concessions. It does not agree with establishing a Palestinian state,” he declared.
