WarSclerotic

‘It feels like we’re moving backward’
Gadi Golan and Yehuda Shlezinger Wednesday August 20, 2014 Via Israel Hayom

A crater caused by a rocket that fell at Yad Mordechai junction, near Ashkelon | Photo credit: AFP

(Tuco: “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).-LS)

Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi: “Any response other than cutting the head off the snake that controls Gaza should not be considered and would only make the current situation worse”

Mayors and community leaders in southern Israel are not prepared to take the renewed rocket fire from Gaza lightly, and are advocating an aggressive response to the cease-fire violation.

“We must respond strongly to the rocket fire, as if there were no negotiations in Cairo, and at the same time, we must continue trying to achieve a long-term deal in Cairo as if there was no rocket fire,” said Shaar Hanegev Regional Council head Alon Shuster.

Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi was similarly angered by the renewed Hamas aggression, saying, “We must deal Hamas a heavy blow that will decisively change the game. Any response other than cutting the head off the snake that controls Gaza should not be considered and would only make the current situation worse.”

These sentiments were also shared by Hof Ashkelon Regional Council head Yair Farjoun, who said, “We must act immediately and decisively to stop all rocket fire directed at us. We will not tolerate the threat of rocket fire, and we will allow the government to put forward a policy for continued calm.”

Eshkol Regional Council head Haim Yalin did not demand sweeping military action as did his colleagues, but rather expressed trust in the government’s ability to handle the situation. “We support and stand behind the cabinet as long as it continues to work toward long-term quiet along the Gaza border and in the south [of Israel],” he said.

“Now is the time to use military force wisely to win the diplomatic battle.”

Sedot Negev Regional Council head Tamir Idan said that he expects the government and the military “to respond forcefully to any escalation or fire on the communities of southern Israel.”

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Yair Lapid visited Sapir College near Sderot, where he outlined his solution to the ongoing conflict.

“Our commitment as a government is to provide quiet for residents of southern Israel, and we will continue to fight for that quiet,” he said. “We must wrap up this campaign with diplomatic success as well, and set up a regional committee that will allow for long-term quiet, and most importantly, we need you to know that we are with you, no matter what happens.”

Beersheba plans to go ahead with its White Night festival scheduled for Thursday, despite rocket fire directed at the city. The event will include performances by several leading Israeli singers and musicians.

On Tuesday evening, the Tel Aviv Municipality announced that it would reopen public bomb shelters in the city, due to the renewed rocket fire at central Israel.

“We don’t have to deal with [rocket] barrages the way they do in the south,” said Tel Aviv resident Yarin Galzar, “But, we still feel it very much, you notice it in the mood [around the city]. This past month, we went out much less — not because we were afraid, but because of the general mood — and this past week we had just started returning to our usual routine. People starting going out again to the bars, to the beach, people had parties.

“It feels like we are moving backward. On the other hand, maybe the time has come to teach them a lesson for once and for all, so that we don’t have to live week by week.”

Orit Shilon, a resident of southern Tel Aviv, was unconcerned by the renewed rocket fire. “We aren’t scared, it is something you can deal with. We already saw in the last round that it’s not so bad. The problem is constantly being vigilant, and that it just keeps repeating itself. I hope the army and the politicians will understand that we are not prepared to live like this, and that they will do what needs to be done.”

This entry was posted on August 20, 2014 at 10:42 PM and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.