Jewish settler leaders called Wednesday on the Israeli government to adopt “harsher measures against terror and, if necessary, bring the Palestinian Authority to the brink of collapse so it realizes that terror does not pay.”
Benny Kashriel, chairman of the Council of Jewish Communities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, said that ordering the army to carry out retaliatory action, dubbed by the government "active defense," is not enough, the Jerusalem Post quoted him as saying.
"Instead of responding tit for tat, the government must launch a widespread and thorough operation against the entire Palestinian terrorist structure, destroy its weapons depots, factories, and storehouses, its military and training bases, and bring the PA to the verge of collapse. Only then will it realize that allowing terrorists to operate against Israeli targets is no longer worthwhile," he said.
Another settlers leader, Pinhas Wallerstein, expressed similar sentiments, but noted that the Israeli army attack on the Hamas headquarters in Nablus on Tuesday meant that a Palestinian response “would not only affect Jews in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but throughout the country.”
"While we paid a heavy price last night, with five of our residents from Dolev wounded in a terrorist shooting, it is not only the settlers who pay the price but everyone in the entire country. Today there is an attack in Judea and Samaria, and tomorrow it maybe in Tel Aviv or Netanya," he said.
The Israeli security cabinet on Wednesday vowed to continue its “liquidation policy” -- the Jewish state's euphemism, along with "surgical strikes," "targeted killings," and "interception operations" -- aimed at killing Palestinian resistance fighters.
The Israeli decision came despite Arab and international criticism of Tuesday’s massacre that killed eight Palestinians, including five Hamas activists and two children, in Nablus – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
