Can't We Protect Ourselves
Cabinet Okays Unilateral Truce; Hamas Continues Rocket Fire Tevet 21, 5769, 17 January 09 11:13 by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu(IsraelNN.com) The government approved a unilateral truce Saturday night as Hamas continued to attack. Two Cabinet ministers, Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima) and Industry Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) voted against the decision. Rafi Eitan (Pensioners), Minister for Pensioners' Affairs, abstained although he previously threatened to resign if the government okayed a ceasefire without the return of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a press conference that the Cast Lead counterterrorist operation has achieved gains beyond expectations in the three weeks since it began. He pointed out that Hamas rocket fire has been reduced and that the IDF has wiped out most of the group's long-range arsenal.
However, he warned residents of southern Israel not to expect an immediate end to rocket attacks.
Minutes after he spoke, Hamas attacked the Be'er Sheva area with a rocket that exploded in an open area. Several minutes before he spoke, Hamas carried out its threat not to halt attacks and fired on Ashkelon and Ashdod, where one home sustained a direct hit. No one was physically wounded, but several people were hospitalized for treatment of shock.
The house sustained heavy damage, and power was knocked out in the neighborhood.
The Prime Minister said that four countries - Germany, France, Italy and Britain - have committed to sending personnel to stop smuggling of weapons into Gaza. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his army will send warships to patrol the Gaza coast.
He held out an olive branch to the Palestinian Authority, saying that Israel considers the Gaza region part of a future Arab state to be created within Israel's current borders.
Hamas earlier rejected the expected unilateral ceasefire, stating that "resistance and confrontation will continue" until the IDF withdraws from Gaza.
The government truce calls for the IDF to remain in the area but not to attack effective 2 a.m. Sunday (7 p.m. Saturday EST), but allows soldiers with complete freedom to retaliate if Hamas continues to attack.
Once again the weak leadership of Israel seeks others to provide for Israel's security.
We need the armies of Germany, France, Italy and England to protect us.
Has the IDF been put out of business?
Can't we protect ourselves?
