A7News: 'We paid too heavy a price'

Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Monday, May. 06 '19, א' באייר תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. 'WE PAID TOO HEAVY A PRICE'
2. 'THE IRON DOME HAS BECOME A SLEEPING PILL'
3. 'THE BATTLE ISN'T OVER'
4. 'WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED 700 TERRORISTS IN GAZA'
5. REPORT: CEASEFIRE REACHED IN GAZA
6. KILLED IN ASHDOD: RABBI PINCHAS MENAHEM PASHWAZMAN
7. IDF ELIMINATES TERRORIST BEHIND IRANIAN FUNDING OF HAMAS
8. ISRAELI MAN KILLED AFTER ROCKET HITS CAR


1. 'WE PAID TOO HEAVY A PRICE'
by Hezki Baruch

Jewish Home chief MK Rabbi Rafi Peretz warned Monday afternoon that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which went into effect Monday morning would not restore Israel's long-term security, adding that the latest round of fighting between Israel and Gaza did not end with a decisive defeat of the Hamas terror organization.

"This battle needs to result in one thing: a clear sense of deterrence – but we didn't not achieve that," Peretz told Arutz Sheva, hours after a ceasefire went into effect Monday.

"We need to continue work to prevent attacks, continue to hit critical targets which we have the opportunity to strike at. We can't stop this [campaign]."

A resident of southern Israel near the Gaza Strip, Peretz said the ceasefire had left Israelis on the Gaza front with a high level of uncertainty – and anxiety – regarding their security situation.

"I live in the Gaza periphery area, and around there people are very anxious, worried that maybe there could be shooting again in a couple of hours. It's outrageous that we have live with these fears, while the murderous Hamas terrorist leaders walk around in security. They need to be on the agenda all the time, and I know that's the thing that could hurt them the most."

Peretz added that he believed Israel failed to achieve victory or restore its deterrence against Hamas in the latest round of fighting, and said the country "paid too high a price" during the latest escalation.

"In this battle we did not reach a definite conclusion in the sense of restoring deterrence, and as far as I'm concerned, [the battle] isn't over. I'm happy to see that the Prime Minister said the same thing. We need to finish this battle properly. They need to understand that they cannot cross this line, and that there is an iron wall between us."

"We paid too high a price. It is unacceptable that we lose four people dead and almost 100 injured and when we finish the battle, the leaders of Hamas are celebrating in Gaza."

A ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt went into effect at 4:30 Monday morning, following two days of rocket attacks by Gaza-based terrorists and Israeli retaliatory strikes inside Gaza.

Some 700 rockets were launched from Gaza towards Israel, killing four and injuring dozens.

Israeli airstrikes in the Strip killed 23 Gazans, including nine people identified as Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.

Several coalition MKs ripped the ceasefire agreement, saying Israel failed to achieve its goals during the fighting, and gained nothing from the ceasefire.

"The ceasefire, in the circumstances it was reached under, has no gains for Israel," said Likud MK Gideon Saar.

"The time between each round of violent attacks against Israel and its citizens is shrinking, and terror organizations in Gaza are strengthening. The fighting hasn't been ended, just pushed off."

Union of Right-Wing Parties MK Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should have hit Hamas hard enough to deter future attacks.

"The battle with Gaza needed to end with seven hundred terrorists killed – one for every rocket fired at Israel, with heavy physical damage to Hamas, the kind that will take years for them to recover from so that it will be difficult for them to think of attacking again."

"We cannot force one-and-a-half million citizens in the south to head to the bomb shelters every few weeks."

Opposition lawmakers also criticized the ceasefire deal, with Blue and White party chairman MK Benny Gantz saying that "after nearly 700 rockets fired into Israeli territory, with four people killed and many injured – all of them as a result of the loss of deterrence – this [round] has ended with yet another surrender to Hamas and the terrorist organizations."

"All the government has done, yet again, is leave the next battle at our doorstep."

Blue and White MK Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of leading Israel's "total surrender" to Hamas.

"Netanyahu used the residents of the south as a bullet-proof vest on his way to the complete surrender to Hamas. Netanyahu won't solve the problem in Gaza. He doesn't have the operational and political courage to do that. At the very least, he owes the people of Israel an explanation regarding the situation, but even that he doesn't have the courage to do."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262761


2. 'THE IRON DOME HAS BECOME A SLEEPING PILL'
by Shimon Cohen

Lt. Col. Yoni Chetboun, a former MK (Jewish Home) and currently a member of the Netanya Council and a security advisor, published an article criticizing Israel's dependence on the Iron Dome already eight years ago. Arutz Sheva spoke with him about the Iron Dome in light of the current escalation in the south.

"The Iron Dome has become a sleeping pill for the public and military leadership," says Chetboun. "From the time the Iron Dome came into the picture, the residents of Israel and the leadership have gotten used to it intercepting missiles. We've moved to a defensive approach in response to missile attacks on a sovereign state."

In this context, Chetboun also mentions the billions invested in the construction of the fence, which has advanced technological features, along the Gaza border in response to terrorism. "They haven't overcome terrorism in any place in the world through fortification, concrete and fences," Chetboun states.

"Ironically, the Iron Dome was supposed to allow the defense establishment to conduct an offensive campaign inside the Gaza Strip in order to bring about the elimination of terror. Instead, we have drugged ourselves and become accustomed to the constants rounds of rockets. We're still paying the price for it today."

"We must return to the concept of operational control in the Gaza Strip. On the eve of Operation Defensive Shield, the discourse in the defense establishment was that it was impossible to enter the casbah in Nablus and Jenin. In 2000, dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed every week. In 2002, the brigade commanders initiated a move and presented the senior echelon with a proposal for a logical and necessary military operation. We launched Operation Defensive Shield and Israel is the only country that has proven that it's possible to strike the enemy's territory at home in an operational attack. Between 2002 and 2004 we were the only country that succeeded in defeating the terror of suicide bombers."

"The same feeling exists today regarding the Gaza Strip as well. The IDF knows how to enter the Gaza Strip and control it for a prolonged period of time. There would be a heavy price to pay but from a long-term perspective, a country needs to know how to bring in soldiers and protect its citizens. It can't be that we accustom ourselves to the firing of rockets."

And what about civilian strength? Maybe Israeli civilians can't withstand a prolonged operation and aren't interested in paying the heavy price involved?

"Operation Protective Edge, unlike the Second Lebanon War, proved that Israeli society, from the right and left, gave broad legitimacy to operate within the Gaza Strip. We were in the Gaza Strip for 50 days and the social discourse was 'Let the IDF win.' The fact that we didn't accomplish that is another story, but many were surprised by the ability of the Jewish people to sit in bomb shelters over time. I'm certain that when a military and political leadership emerges that will make it clear that we're embarking on a painful military operation to defeat terror, Israeli society will be able to adapt itself to it."

"Often the Arabs make us realize that there's no choice but to attack them aggressively, and that will eventually come," says Chetboun. "Beyond the logical component, this is a perception that will ultimately occur, because it's impossible to remain in this reality for long."

Chetboun clarifies the term "operational control in the Gaza Strip" for us. "Today there's no Jewish settlement in Jenin, Nablus and Ramallah, but the IDF enters freely and makes arrests with full freedom of action. The same freedom of action must be returned to the Gaza Strip. Ultimately, the professional and historical model taught us that they will fire missiles from any place where the IDF not present."


3. 'THE BATTLE ISN'T OVER'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Israeli forces struck a 'powerful' blow against the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations in Gaza over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday morning, as he spoke out on the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

"Over the past two days, we struck a powerful blow against Hamas and Islamic Jihad," said Netanyahu. "We hit more than 350 targets, we hit terrorist leaders and officials and destroyed 'terrorist towers'."

Netanyahu added that despite the ceasefire, the battle against Hamas was not over.

"The campaign isn't finished, and it will require patience and careful judgment. We're prepared for its continuation."

"The goal was and remains to secure quiet and bring security to the residents of the south. I send my condolences to the bereaved families and I wish the injured a speedy recovery."

A ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt went into effect at 4:30 Monday morning, following two days of rocket attacks by Gaza-based terrorists and Israeli retaliatory strikes inside Gaza.

Some 700 rockets were launched from Gaza towards Israel, killing four and injuring dozens.

Israeli airstrikes in the Strip killed 23 Gazans, including nine people identified as Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.

Several coalition MKs ripped the ceasefire agreement, saying Israel failed to achieve its goals during the fighting, and gained nothing from the ceasefire.

"The ceasefire, in the circumstances it was reached under, has no gains for Israel," said Likud MK Gideon Saar.

"The time between each round of violent attacks against Israel and its citizens is shrinking, and terror organizations in Gaza are strengthening. The fighting hasn't been ended, just pushed off."

Union of Right-Wing Parties MK Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should have hit Hamas hard enough to deter future attacks.

"The battle with Gaza needed to end with seven hundred terrorists killed – one for every rocket fired at Israel, with heavy physical damage to Hamas, the kind that will take years for them to recover from so that it will be difficult for them to think of attacking again."

"We cannot force one-and-a-half million citizens in the south to head to the bomb shelters every few weeks."

Opposition lawmakers also criticized the ceasefire deal, with Blue and White party chairman MK Benny Gantz saying that "after nearly 700 rockets fired into Israeli territory, with four people killed and many injured – all of them as a result of the loss of deterrence – this [round] has ended with yet another surrender to Hamas and the terrorist organizations."

"All the government has done, yet again, is leave the next battle at our doorstep."

Blue and White MK Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of leading Israel's "total surrender" to Hamas.

"Netanyahu used the residents of the south as a bullet-proof vest on his way to the complete surrender to Hamas. Netanyahu won't solve the problem in Gaza. He doesn't have the operational and political courage to do that. At the very least, he owes the people of Israel an explanation regarding the situation, but even that he doesn't have the courage to do."


4. 'WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED 700 TERRORISTS IN GAZA'
by Hezki Baruch

National Union chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich (Union of Right-Wing Parties) excoriated the decision to accept a ceasefire agreement with Hamas Monday morning, saying Israel failed to restore its deterrence following two days of rocket attacks and Israeli retaliatory strikes.

Smotrich said that Israel needed to exact a heavy price from Hamas for the roughly 700 rockets fired into Israeli territory.

"The battle with Gaza needed to end with seven hundred terrorists killed – one for every rocket fired at Israel, with heavy physical damage to Hamas, the kind that will take years for them to recover from so that it will be difficult for them to think of attacking again."

"We cannot force one-and-a-half million citizens in the south to head to the bomb shelters every few weeks."

Smotrich is not the only coalition MK to criticize the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Earlier on Monday, Likud MK Gideon Saar said Israel made "no gains" with the ceasefire deal.

"The ceasefire, in the circumstances it was reached under, has no gains for Israel," said Saar.

"The time between each round of violent attacks against Israel and its citizens is shrinking, and terror organizations in Gaza are strengthening. The fighting hasn't been ended, just pushed off."

A ceasefire agreement went into effect at 4:30 Monday morning, ending the latest wave of rocket attacks from Gaza, which began Saturday.

Some 700 rockets were fired into Israeli territory, killing at least four and injuring dozens.

Twenty-three Gazans were reported killed in Israeli retaliatory strikes, including nine people identified as terrorists from either Hamas or the Islamic Jihad organizations.


5. REPORT: CEASEFIRE REACHED IN GAZA
by Elad Benari

Hamas' television and other Palestinian Arab sources reported overnight Sunday that a ceasefire had been reached with Israel, and that it went into effect at 4:30 a.m.

However, Israel has not confirmed this.

Earlier, the rocket fire on Israel continued, as "Red Color" sirens were sounded in Ashkelon and in the regional councils of Eshkol, Hof Ashkelon, Sdot Negev and Bnei Shimon.

So far there have been no reports of rockets exploding or being intercepted. The IDF said the details are under investigation.

Before midnight, there had been reports claiming that Egypt and Qatar had brokered a ceasefire scheduled to take effect at midnight on Sunday.

However, a Palestinian Arab source later said that "as of now there is no calm. Israel is delaying the implementation of the understandings reached in the past, but seeks to achieve calm in return for calm."

The source added that a truce is conditional on progress on the ground and will not occur until Israel fulfills all the demands of the factions. His remarks were quoted by Channel 13 News.

Meanwhile, the IDF continues to attack terror targets in Gaza in retaliation for the rocket fire.

On Sunday evening, IDF fighter jets targeted the office of Tawfiq Abu Naim, Minister of the Interior and Head of the Palestinian Preventive Security in Hamas' Political Bureau in Nuseirat.

Abu Naim had been incarcerated in Israel since 1991 and was released as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.

Following his release, Abu Naim joined the Hamas leadership. He oversees security measures in the Gaza Strip – including ongoing security, as well as Hamas' Police forces (forces deployed for terror purposes).

Earlier on Sunday, IDF fighter jets targeted a seven-story building disguising an underground offensive terror tunnel in the Al Farkan neighborhood in Gaza City.

As the building was being built in 2010, Hamas took control over it. The terror organization took advantage of the building being built in order to dig a significant, multi-branch tunnel network beneath it. The building is located adjacent to a school in the heart of a civilian neighborhood.

Hamas uses this building for various operational activities, including the protection and concealment of terror infrastructure while completely disregarding its location in the heart of a residential neighborhood.

IDF Spokesman Ronen Manelis said on Sunday evening that IDF fighter planes had completed an assault on about 40 terror targets of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations throughout Gaza.

The targets included underground infrastructures, weapons warehouses, military compounds, rocket-launching positions, observation posts, and more. Since Saturday, some 320 terrorist targets have been attacked and IDF attacks continue according to plan.


6. KILLED IN ASHDOD: RABBI PINCHAS MENAHEM PASHWAZMAN
by Michal Levi

Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Pashwazman was killed by a rocket in the city of Ashdod, the fourth person killed in the current round of fighting.

When the siren went off, the deceased ran to a stairwell to take cover but was hit by shrapnel from the rocket. Rescuers who arrived at the scene attempted to revive him and evacuated him to the hospital, but he died of his wounds on arrival.

The deceased, a young yeshiva student in his early twenties, was a Gur Hasid. He was born in Beit Shemesh to a father who serves as a teacher in the local Gur community. He moved to Ashdod after he got married. His parents are originally from Monsey, New York, and the victim was an American citizen, according to a report by Yeshiva World News.

According to the family, this is the third time that the family has lost family members in disasters. His mother's two brothers perished in disasters, one of them in a terror attack on a bus on Mount Meron, and the other in the Gesher Bnot Yaakov disaster.

He is survived by his wife and four-month old baby.



7. IDF ELIMINATES TERRORIST BEHIND IRANIAN FUNDING OF HAMAS
by David Rosenberg

Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas terrorist Sunday who had been responsible for smuggling Iranian cash into the Gaza Strip, an IDF spokesperson said in a statement.

Hamed Ahmed Abed Khudari, 34, was eliminated in an Israeli airstrike Sunday afternoon, as part of a large-scale Israeli retaliation against a massive wave of rocket attacks from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Gaza health officials confirmed Sunday afternoon that Khudari had been killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Hamas identified Khudari as one of its commanding officers. He is the fifth casualty reported in Gaza since Israel launched its retaliatory attacks on the Hamas-ruled Strip following a massive wave of rocket attacks that have left three Israelis dead and half a dozen injured.

Two Israelis, ages 40 and 22, were killed Sunday afternoon after a rocket fired from Gaza struck a factory in the coastal city of Ashkelon. On Saturday, 58-year-old Moshe Agadi was killed by a rocket strike on Ashkelon.

Khudari, 34, was the owner of a money-changing company which had been declared a terrorist group in 2018, and had smuggled large amounts of cash from Iran to Islamic Jihad and Hamas, providing the cash-strapped terrorist groups with much-needed foreign currency.

Israeli security forces say Khudari's elimination was a joint effort of the IDF and Shin Bet internal security agency.

"A short while ago, Hamed Ahmed Abed Khudari," an IDF spokesperson said, "was killed in a joint IDF and ISA operation. Khudari was responsible for substantial cash transfers from Iran to terror organizations operating within the Gaza Strip.

"Khudari was the owner of the monetary exchange company, Hamed Co. for Exchange / Al Wefaq Co. for Exchange, which Israel designated a terrorist organization in June 2018.

"Khudari's financial activity, which served as Iran's spearhead in the Gaza Strip, contributed significantly to the promotion of terror activities and the military buildup of terror organizations in the Gaza Strip.

"The IDF and ISA will continue operating to thwart and disrupt Iran's attempts to promote terror activity from within the Gaza Strip by funding terror organizations such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the other terror organizations in the Gaza Strip."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262703


8. ISRAELI MAN KILLED AFTER ROCKET HITS CAR
by Arutz Sheva Staff

An Israeli man was critically injured Sunday afternoon, when a rocket fired from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip hit his car in southern Israel.

The incident occurred in the Shaar HaNegev district in the vicinity of Kitbbutz Yad Mordechai in southern Israel, when a rocket made a direct hit on a private vehicle, destroying the car and leaving the driver critically injured. Hospital officials at Barziliai hospital in Ashkelon later said that the victim had succumbed to his injuries.

The driver, who is said to be about 60 years of age, was treated at the scene by MDA emergency first responders before being evacuated to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.

"When we got to the scene on Route 34," said MDA paramedic Ravit Martinez, "we saw a car that had been completely crushed after it had been directly hit by a rocket. Next to it there was a man about 60 years of age lying down unconscious. He was suffering from shrapnel wounds and heavy blood loss. We provided life-saving treatment, loaded him onto a mobile intensive care unit, and continued to perform resuscitation techniques on him as we evacuated him to the hospital while he was in critical condition."

Following the attack, police closed Route 34 to traffic in both directions in the Yad Mordechai area, up to the Shaar HaNegev junction.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262702