11 mars 2012

            Following three days of incessant rocket fire from Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Israel's southern region on Sunday and met with local council heads. Netanyahu, who visited an Iron Dome battery, thanked the council heads for their hard work. Addressing the south's residents, he said "Our policy is clear. We will strike anyone who tries to harm (Israeli) civilians. The IDF is dealing very heavy blows. "We'll bolster the Iron Dome (anti-rocket)... [Lire la suite]

           Several people suffered anxiety attacks on Sunday after parts of a rocket intercepted by the Iron Dome system hit a car and a water pipe in Beersheba. More than 30 rockets were fired at Israel on Sunday. At around 3 pm a rocket landed in one of Beersheba's residential neighborhoods, causing damage to 15 homes. A short while later another rocket hit near an empty school in the city. There were no reports of injury, but the structure was damaged. "It's frightening to think... [Lire la suite]

          The United States said it is deeply concerned by the renewal of violence in southern Israel and called on both sides to make every effort to restore calm. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement that the US condemns in the "strongest terms the rocket fire from Gaza by terrorists into southern Israel." She said the US calls on those responsible to take immediate action to stop what she termed "these cowardly acts." US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,... [Lire la suite]

           Hamas has confirmed that it is engaged in contacts with Egypt to try to stop the escalation in the south. The head of the Hamas administration in Gaza, Ismail Haniye has been involved in the contacts, and is now awaiting Israel's response, which is due to be conveyed via Egypt. A Hamas spokesman, Taher A-Nunu, said that if Israel stops striking Gaza, there will be room to talk, in his words, about a halt to the Palestinian rocket fire.